


Banishing the Devil

by JasonMorganfan87



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Angry Amenadiel, Episode: s04e02 Somebody's Been Reading Dante's Inferno, Evil Father Kinley, Gen, Guilty Chloe Decker, Hurt Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV), Protective Amenadiel (Lucifer TV), Protective God, Protective Michael (Lucifer TV), Spanking, angry god
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2020-06-25 15:09:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 56,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19748248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasonMorganfan87/pseuds/JasonMorganfan87
Summary: Chloe does as Father Kinley asked and helped to banish Lucifer, only it didn't turn out as either of them planned. As not all of Lucifer is the Devil, not all of him can be banished. How will Chloe react to what is left of him, and how will his father react when he finds out what was done to his son?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> In this story, angels grow similarly to the way humans do, only at a much slower rate.

Chloe watched in horror as Lucifer began to drink the wine laced with the sedative she’d gotten from Father Kinley. A big part of her wanted to scream for him to stop, not to drink it. This felt more wrong every second that passed. But she couldn’t bring herself to stop it.

Lucifer’s eyes rolled back into his head seconds after he took a sip of his wine and he collapsed.

“I’m so sorry,” Chloe cried before taking out her phone and dialing Father Kinley. He answered it on the first ring. “It’s Chloe Decker. I did it. Get over to Lucifer’s.”

As she waited for Father Kinley, Chloe wrestled with what she’d done. She tried to think of all the stories Father Kinley told her and the evidence he’d shown her, and it helped a little, but deep down, all she could think was that she’d just stabbed her partner in the back.

Father Kinley arrived just ten minutes later and smiled when he saw the Devil on the floor. “You did wonderfully, Chloe.”

“It doesn’t feel that way,” Chloe cried.

“I promise you; this is for the best. You can leave if you’d rather not witness this,” Father Kinley said.

“No,” Chloe said. Oh, she wanted to leave. She wanted no more part in what was about to happen, but leaving would be the coward’s way out. She chose to do this, whether it was right or wrong. She damn well deserved to stay and watch the results, even if it broke her. 

Father Kinley knelt down next to the Devil and began preparing for the exorcism. Once the preparations were done, he began chanting to banish the Devil.

Chloe watched as Lucifer began to convulse and scream in agony, even in his unconscious state. It lasted a good five minutes while Kinley chanted. Then a blinding white light appeared and disappeared within a span of thirty seconds.

Father Kinley gasped once the light disappeared and he saw what was left behind. “Dear God.”

Chloe covered her mouth to hide her own gasp. She’d expected for Lucifer to completely disappear, but he didn’t. At the same time, it wasn’t exactly Lucifer anymore either. Instead, a young boy with his facial features remained. He looked to be the same age as Trixie, if not slightly younger. “Lucifer?!”

The boy groaned in pain as he began to come to. Everything hurt badly. He didn’t know what happened to him, but he knew he was in danger. He brought his wings out to cover himself.

Chloe turned her gaze to Kinley. “What the hell just happened?”

Father Kinley stood up, still staring at the boy now cocooned in a pair of large wings. “I don’t know. It was supposed to take him back to Hell, not reduce him to this. But we will have to improvise,” he said before pulling out a knife.

Chloe watched Kinley in horror. Before she could stop him, he’d made a swipe at the boy’s wings, causing one of them to bleed and the child to scream and leap to the other side of the room in the blink of an eye.

Chloe grabbed Kinley by the arm. “Stop! What are you doing?! He’s just a little boy!” 

“I assure you, he’s not. He is the Devil. He must be stopped,” Kinley said.

“No, I don’t think he is. The ritual worked. I think the Devil is gone. I think all that’s left now is an angel,” Chloe said. She believed that the ritual must have reverted Lucifer back to a time when he was still innocent and an angel. What she didn’t know was whether or not the rest of him would ever return. The answer scared her either way.

Kinley looked back at the boy whimpering in pain as he hid before returning his gaze to Chloe. “Perhaps you’re right, but it doesn’t matter. Deep down, he is evil. He must be neutralized once and for all,” he said before pulling out of her grip and stalking menacingly towards the child, knife pointed towards him.

Chloe pulled out her gun, cocked it, and pointed it at the priest. “Get away from him!”

Father Kinley turned back to Chloe, shocked at her reaction. “Chloe, but the gun down. We must stop this creature.”

“If you take one more step towards that little boy, I will shoot you,” Chloe warned. She’d made a mistake by helping Father Kinley. She knew that now and she couldn’t take it back, but she was not going to sit and watch a defenseless child get murdered, let alone her partner.

“Chloe…”

Get away from him and get out now, now!” Chloe ordered. She would arrest him if she could, but she could not bring Lucifer to the police station and introduce him as a victim like this. Child Services would be called, and that would end terribly.

Kinley looked like he was contemplating what to do. He thought of lunging at the boy. He was willing to sacrifice his life to stop the Devil. But even if he connected with the boy before Chloe shot him, he’d only damage his wings more. He wouldn’t kill him. So, he put the knife way and raised his hands in surrender before walking towards the elevator. He would have to figure out a new plan to stop the creature.

Chloe kept her gun trained on him until he disappeared into the elevator and the doors closed. She then put her gun away and tentatively approached Lucifer. She didn’t want to get too close so soon. Lucifer was scared, and she didn’t know what he could do. He was just a child now, but she didn’t know what kind of power he had. “Lucifer?”

The ball of wings flinched and pressed against the wall. The boy was crying quietly from pain in fear. 

“Lucifer, it’s okay. I’m not gonna hurt you,” Chloe promised. It seemed laughable as she said it because she already hurt him. This was happening because of what she did.

The child didn’t respond. He continued to cry.

Chloe looked at him. Well, she looked at his wings. That was all she could see of him. There was blood staining a part of his right wing, and it kept oozing out. “Lucifer, you’re hurt. I want to help you. It’s okay. That man is gone.”

He tentatively lowered his good wing and poked his head out from under the injured wing.

Chloe nearly broke at the sight of his face. There were tears in his eyes and he looked hurt and terrified. Those were looks that should never reach a child’s face. “Hi. My name’s Chloe. Would it be okay if I come closer? I promise, I won’t hurt you.”

He looked at her warily, but nodded.

Chloe slowly approached him and knelt down next to him. “Hey. Everything’s going to be okay now. I’m gonna help you, Lucifer.”

“Th…that’s not my name,” the boy stuttered.

Chloe frowned at first in confusion, but then she remembered some of the stories she’d read about Lucifer in Rome. Lucifer wasn’t his real name. He’d taken the name when he became the Devil. “Right. Sorry about that. Your name is Samael, right?”

Samael nodded. “Where are my mum and dad. I want them.”

Chloe was certain Lucifer had never uttered those words before, but he wasn’t Lucifer anymore. He was the angel, Samael, and for all intents and purposes, he was a scared, injured little boy. Naturally, he just wanted his parents to take it all away. “I’m sorry, Luc…. Samael. They’re not here right now. I’m gonna do my best to help you though, okay?”

“Who are you? You don’t have wings,” Samael said. He didn’t understand. Every being he knew had wings. How could this lady not? What was she? Had his father created a new species?

“No, I don’t. I’m different than you,” Chloe said. She could understand his confusion. Lucifer was very young. His memory likely predated humanity. He’d never seen anyone like her before.

“My father created you, yes?” he asked.

“Yes,” Chloe said. It was technically true. God had created all humans. “You’re hurt pretty badly. Will you let me help you?” 

“I don’t think you can, unless you know how to heal, like my older brother, Raphael. He’s learning to heal now, but he can’t fix this. Only my father can,” Samael said.

“I can’t heal you, but I can try to make it stop bleeding. I can help you feel better,” Chloe said. She hoped she could anyway. She knew general first aid, and he wasn’t cut too bad, but she wasn’t sure how different it would be healing a wing.

“Alright,” Samael said.

Chloe stood up and motioned for the boy to do the same.

Samael got up. He folded his good wing into his back and it disappeared. The other one drooped and dragged on the ground. He groaned in pain as he followed the woman.

Chloe brought him to the couch. “Sit down here. I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

“There’s nowhere for me to go. I don’t know how to fly yet,” Samael said. Even if he did, he couldn’t do so with one of his wings hurt so badly. He wished he could. He didn’t feel very safe wherever he was. He knew he wasn’t home. He thought of praying to his father to come and get him, but he guessed that his father knew where he was and wanted him there for some reason. Though he couldn’t see his father letting whatever that creature was harm him. But Amenadiel always told him that their father knows all and does what is best.

Chloe had gone down to Lux to get a first aid kit from the bartending. She was back within ten minutes. She knelt in front of Luc… Samael. As much as it pained her, she had to remember that this was not her Lucifer anymore, and that was her own fault. She also grabbed some towels from the bathroom before kneeling in front of Samael. “Samael, this might hurt a little, but I promise it’s to help you.”

Samael did not understand how something could help and hurt at the same time, but he saw no reason to doubt her. She had made the one that hurt him leave. “Alright.”

Chloe pressed the towel to the boy’s wing to stop the bleeding. She made sure to do so very carefully. She could tell that the edges to his wing were quite sharp.

Samael yelled out in pain.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I have to stop it from bleeding,” Chloe said.

“It hurts! I want my mum!” he cried.

“Shh. I know. It’s going to be okay,” Chloe said. She held the towel there until the bleeding subsided enough for her to see exactly where the wound was. Then she took gauze and wrapped it as much as possible. It wasn’t easy because even at this age, Samael’s wings were quite big. She was only able to wind it around part of the wing. Luckily, it fit around the injured part. “Do you feel any better?”

Samael sniffled a bit. “I little, but I don’t like how it feels. It’s tight.”

“I know, but it’ll help. Uh, I think we should leave now,” Chloe said. For all she knew, Kinley would come back with a dozen more priests to finish Lucifer off. They needed to go. 

Samael nodded. “Are we going back to the Silver City now?” 

“Not right now. I’m gonna take you back to my house,” Chloe said. It was the only place she could think to take him. She had no idea where Amenadiel was right now, and frankly, she was glad for that. She didn’t imagine he’d be happy with her when he found out how this happened. “Can you tuck your wing back in like this?”

“I’ll try,” he said before standing up. He whimpered as he moved his wing to his back and it disappeared.

“Good job. Come on,” Chloe said before grabbing her purse and leading Samael to the elevator by the shoulder.


	2. Chapter 2

Chloe led Luc… Samael into her place. They were alone. Maze hadn’t come home yet and Trixie. She could only hope Maze would be home soon. Well, a part of her did anyway. The other part of her was okay with Maze never coming back. She was going to have to explain exactly what happened, and she didn’t see the demon responding well to what she did to Lucifer. Then there was Amenadiel. She wouldn’t be able to hide this from him for long, unless Maze could fix it, which didn’t seem likely. Honestly, she wasn’t sure it could be fixed. What if Lucifer, as he was, was just gone? What if Little Samael was all that was left?

Samael looked around the house. “Your home is quite small, and there are many strange things here I’ve never seen. So did that last place.”

Chloe wasn’t sure what Samael meant as he looked over at the furniture. Then she realized. Samael was literally from millennia ago. He’d been born or created before almost anything else. Many things that existed today didn’t then, and if they had, they had likely been much different. “Uh, I guess this place is much different than your home.”

“Yes. Just my room alone is larger than this place. The Silver City has an endless amount of space. You must feel very cramped here,” Samael said.

“It’s okay,” she said.

“Why don’t you live in the Silver City, like me?” he wondered. His father had created this woman and her species. Why didn’t they reside with them? Surely it was much more spacious than this place, wherever this place was.

“Uh, because your dad created me to live here,” Chloe said. It was the best answer she could give him. He clearly had no knowledge of Earth or humans. God probably had not even thought about creating either yet when he was this age the first time

“Oh, alright,” Samael said. He didn’t quite understand his father’s logic, but he it didn’t bother him enough to question it.

Chloe watched as Samael favored his left side and hissed in pain. “Is your wing hurting?”

“Yes, and so does everything else,” Samael said. He woke up in pain. He didn’t know what caused it, but it hadn’t gone away yet, though it did get much better. The pain from his wing was worse.

“You were hurting when you woke up,” Chloe realized. She felt terrible for that. What Father Kinley had done to Lucifer had left the boy in pain, and it was her fault. It wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t helped Kinley. 

“Yes, but it is better now.”

“You should rest. You can sit down right there,” Chloe said as she pointed to the couch. 

Just then, the door opened and Maze came in with Trixie.

Chloe looked over at them in surprise. “Trixie? Why aren’t you with Daddy?”

“Daddy had to go to work, so he called Maze to come get me,” Trixie said before looking at the boy a few feet away from her mom. “Who’s that? He looks like Lucifer.

“Damn. Tell me Lucifer doesn’t have a kid,” Maze said. The boy was too old to have been created since they left Hell, but Lucifer snuck out of Hell before from time to time. He could’ve come down for a day or so. The kid was the spitting image of Lucifer. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say it was him. 

“That’s Lucifer’s son?” Trixie asked in disbelief. 

“I don’t know who this person is that everyone keeps mentioning is, but he is not my father,” Samael said.

“Guys, this is Samael,” Chloe said. She knew Maze would make the connection. 

Maze’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Son of a bitch!”

“What does bitch mean?” Samael asked curiously. He’d never heard that word before, and he was quite well educated.

“You’re not supposed to say that word. I used to have a swear jar whenever I said words like that,” Trixie said.

“I don’t know what that is either, but why aren’t I allowed to say that word,” Lucifer asked. He’d never before been told there were words he wasn’t allowed to say. He wasn’t to be disrespectful to his mother and father, but he never got scolded for saying a specific word.

“It’s a very rude term. Don’t say it again, okay?” Chloe said.

“But she said it,” Samael said as he pointed to the woman dressed in black. 

“Maze is an adult. She can say what she wants. Kids aren’t allowed to,” Trixie explained.

“Well, that seems rather unfair. It’s like how my older brothers get to fight train, but I’m not allowed,” Samael grumbled.

“I know!” Trixie exclaimed with a smile. “I wanted to learn how to fight with Maze, but Mommy said no.”

“I got my brother, Gabriel to teach me a bit one day, but Dad caught us and gave us both a smacking.”

Trixie’s eyes widened. “Your dad hits you? They taught us at school that that’s wrong.”

“Dad decides what’s right and wrong. Has he changed his mind?” Samael asked mischievously. He would need to test that when it got up to. There was all sorts of fun things he could do if that was the case, things he would’ve thought twice about with the knowledge that he’d get punished for it.

“Where does your dad hit you, Samael?” Chloe asked uneasily. She began to fear that Samael was abused. It would make sense with the way Lucifer spoke of his father.

“My backside,” Lucifer stated before pointing to his butt. 

“Spare the rod, spoil the child, Decker,” Maze said with a smirk. It was probably the only thing in the Bible she ever agreed with. Kids could be menaces.

“Dad says that all the time. How’d you know?” Samael asked.

“Well, it looks like idiots can get things right once and a while,” Maze said.

“Tell me doesn’t actually hit you with a rod,” Chloe said.

“No, just his hand usually. Michael got a strapping once though. He threw me to the ground after flying me up in the air. He said I was too old not to already know how to fly. Amenadiel caught me and told Dad. He was very angry,” Samael said with a smirk. He’d enjoyed his older brother getting in trouble. He didn’t like him much. 

“Uh, okay. Trixie, why don’t you take Samael to your room and play a game or something?” Chloe suggested.

“Okay. Come on,” Trixie said. She ran over and grabbed his hand before leading him quickly to her room.

“What the hell happened, Decker?” Maze demanded to know.

Chloe hesitantly told Maze everything that happened with Kinley and Lucifer. Then she waited, because she knew Maze was going to lose it.

Maze was furious. She didn’t have much room to judge about betrayal, as she’d done her fair share of it with Lucifer, but she was a demon. He expected that of her, and should. He’d trusted Chloe with everything in him. He’d been willing to give up his life for her one more than one occasion. “I’m about to turn you into one of my bounties, Decker!”

Chloe flinched and took a step back. “Maze, I know what I did was horrible. I…I didn’t think this would happen.”

“No, you thought he’d end up in Hell! Instead, what’s left of him is a little miniature angel. Where the hell is the rest of him? Does it even exist anymore?!” Maze screamed angrily.

“I was scared. I didn’t know what to do, Maze. I let Kinley scare me even more with the stories about him.”

“Those stories are crap!” she yelled.

“I’m sorry. Look, I can’t take it back. I can only try to help fix it,” Chloe said. 

“That’s if it can be fixed,” Maze said before pulling out her phone and dialing Amenadiel. “Hey. Get your ass to my place now.” She hung up and glared at Chloe. “If I were you, I’d hope it can’t be fixed because Lucifer will never forgive you.”

Tears streamed down Chloe’s face. “Neither will I.”


	3. Chapter 3

Chloe sat at her kitchen table waiting for Amenadiel. Maze was standing a few feet away glaring at her. She couldn’t blame her. She hated herself as much as Maze probably did right now.

She didn’t have long to wait. There was a knock at the door less than five minutes later. She could only guess that he’d flown there.

Maze went and opened the door. She silently stepped aside and let Amenadiel in.

Amenadiel stepped inside. “Hey. Is this about Lucifer. I stopped by the penthouse and he wasn’t there. There were towels covered in blood!”

He’s okay, Amenadiel,” Chloe said as she stood up.

“Is he?” Maze asked with a glare.

“He… He’s alive,” Chloe said.

“Again, is he, as he was?” Maze asked.

“What’s going on? Where’s Lucifer?” Amenadiel asked. He was becoming very concerned. Maze was angry, and it seemed to be directed at Chloe. Chloe, meanwhile, looked very guilt ridden. And Amenadiel had no idea where his brother was. 

“What are you waiting for, Decker. Tell him,” Maze demanded.

“Amenadiel, I’m sorry. I will never forgive myself for this, especially if it can’t be fixed. If this couldn’t be fixed, it would be like she killed Lucifer. Him and Samael might technically be the same person, but in almost every single way, they were different.

“Chloe, what happened. Where’s my brother?” Amenadiel asked with fear. 

Chloe sighed. “Your brother is with Trixie, but he’s not the same as he was a few hours ago. I’m sorry. When I found out that everything Lucifer had been telling me for years was true, I panicked. I went to Rome both to get away from him and to find out the truth about him. When I was there, I met a priest who’d deduced that Lucifer was the Devil. He had a lot of evidence that painted Lucifer badly.”

“It’s not evidence. It’s human stupidity!” Maze snarled.

“Go on, Chloe,” Amenadiel said. He needed to know the rest. It was obvious that it had something to do with what happened to Lucifer. 

“The priest wanted to perform and exorcism on Lucifer,” Chloe continued.

“Exorcisms only work on possessed beings. Lucifer isn’t possessed,” Amenadiel said.

“He called it an exorcism. Maybe it was something else. I just know that Father Kinley believed it could banish Lucifer back to Hell,” Chloe said.

“And you performed this ritual?” Amenadiel asked. He was both trying and failing to keep himself from becoming angry. Chloe and this priest had set out to banish his brother.

“No, I didn’t. I was only supposed to get him to drink a sedative, so that Father Kinley could do it.,” Chloe said. It certainly didn’t make it any better. She was responsible for what happened to Lucifer. If she hadn’t agreed to do this, or better yet, if she hadn’t spoken with Father Kinley, this wouldn’t be happening.

“You sent my brother to Hell?” Amenadiel asked in a low tone. He was barely containing the rage that was building up higher with ever second. He could see the irony just a little through his anger. Just a few years ago, he was the one actively trying to send Lucifer to Hell. Now, he was livid because someone else had. 

“No, Amenadiel…”

Amenadiel couldn’t hear another word. He was pissed. Lucifer had loved this woman. He believed she was good. So had Amenadiel. “Lucifer trusted you more than anybody in his life! He loved you, Chloe! He gave his life for you, more than once! Did he tell you how he saved you from that poison a couple years ago?! He killed himself and went to Hell!”

Chloe gasped and began crying. She didn’t know that. She knew Lucifer had saved her, but not that he’d gone to such lengths. He’d gone to a place he hated to save her life. His reward was her completely betraying him, possibly destroying everything that made him Lucifer.

“How could you do this to him?! He never did anything to you!” Amenadiel screamed

“Stop yelling at my mommy!” an angry, small voice said.

They all turned to see Trixie standing doorway in front of the hall. The ten-year-old was looking at Amenadiel with the fiercest glare she could give him.

“Trixie, it’s okay. Amenadiel has a good reason to be mad at me. Go back to your room please,” Chloe said with as much composure as she could. She wanted her daughter to go before Samael came out as well. She hadn’t told Amenadiel about that yet. It wouldn’t be fair for him to find out by just seeing the boy. 

It was too late. Samael came into view behind Trixie seconds later. “Amenadiel’s here?”

Amenadiel’s jaw dropped when he saw him. The boy looked just like his brother, and he didn’t mean that they looked really similar. He meant that his features were exactly the same from when Lucifer was a child. If Amenadiel had to guess, he’d say that the boy was around eight or nine centuries, which translated into years for humans.

Samael stared at the man who looked like his brother with just as much shock. It looked like his older brother, but it couldn’t be. He wasn’t that old. “You’re not my brother. You’re too big.”

Amenadiel was in a state of shock as he stepped forward to get a better look at the boy. He couldn’t speak, he was so astonished. 

“Why do you look like my brother?” Samael asked in a demanding tone.

“He is your brother, Samael,” Chloe said.

“No, he can’t be,” Samael said.

Amenadiel came out of his sense of shock. He focused on needing and wanting to prove who he was to his little brother, so he could slow time. That power wasn’t working because he realized he didn’t want it to. But he needed it to prove his identity, unless he wanted to reveal his wings to Trixie.

Samael watched in awe as things moved at a slow pace. He’d seen his older brother do this before, so it became clear that it was in fact Amenadiel.

Amenadiel stopped his power when he was satisfied that his brother believed him. “Samael.”

Samael ran to him. “I’m glad you’re here. I want to go home.”

Amenadiel knelt down in front of the boy and just took in his features. “Are you alright, little brother?”

“I hurt my wing,” Samael said.

Amenadiel looked over at Trixie, who didn’t seem to bat an eyelash over Samael’s proclamation. He guided the boy further away from the humans, so he wouldn’t accidently hurt them when he summoned his wings. “Let me see it.”

Samael whimpered as he allowed his wings to expand, an action which hurt a lot. “I want Dad. I want him to heal it.”

“Let’s see if I can help first,” Amenadiel said. He gently took the bandages off that were covered in blood. The wing was still bleeding as well, but it didn’t seem too bad. It looked painful though, and some of the feathers were broken.

Amenadiel stood for a second and let his wings expand for a second to grab a feather. He wasn’t sure if this trick would work. It had never been tried on wings before. 

“Cool,” Trixie said as she got a look at Amenadiel’s wings. She was still mad at him, but she liked his wings. Samael’s were great too. She hoped his would feel better soon. 

Amenadiel knelt again. He pressed the feather to his brother’s wing to try to heal it. 

“Ow! Stop! It hurts! I want Daddy!” Samael cried. He didn’t really call his father ‘Daddy’ anymore, but sometimes when he was scared or hurt, it slipped out.

Amenadiel immediately stopped. “Someone get me more bandages.”

“Sure,” Maze said before walking towards the bathroom.

“Samael, did she do this to you?” Amenadiel asked as he pointed to Chloe. He wouldn’t think she’d do this, but he also wouldn’t have thought she’d try to send his brother to Hell. He couldn’t put anything past her.

Chloe sighed. She would like to feel outraged that he’d accuse her of hurting a child, but he had every right to think so. She’d done a lot of damage tonight. 

“Mommy doesn’t hurt people,” Trixie said firmly.

Chloe went over and put a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Monkey,”

“No,” Samael told his brother. “But I believe them to be the same species. It was a male though. I didn’t see it, but I believe it was a sharp object. Chloe made him leave.”

Maze came back seconds later with some bandages. “Here.”

Amenadiel took them and began redressing the wound.

“Ow! Why can’t you just take me home?” Samael asked.

Amenadiel had considered it, but even if he could get Samael through the gates, many of their siblings would unleash their anger out on him. Samael couldn’t understand why they’d be so angry at him. He shouldn’t have to deal with that. “It’s just not possible right now.”

“Why don’t you just take him elsewhere for a few minutes. That should take care of the problem,” Maze said as she glanced at Chloe.

“I don’t think that will help,” Amenadiel said. Samael, as he was now, shouldn’t be vulnerable to Chloe, as he didn’t really know her. Amenadiel could only assume that the weapon used was blessed somehow. “Samael, do you think you can be brave a little longer. Father will heal you soon, I promise.”

“Alright. It’s bearable if no one touches it. Ow! Like you are,” Samael said as he brother redressed his wing. 

“I’m almost done. I’m going to have to leave for a little bit. You need to behave while I’m gone. You know the consequences if Father finds your behavior unbecoming,” Amenadiel said. He knew his little brother. He was willful, even at this age. Typically, he behaved himself, but there were times when he just couldn’t help himself.

“Trixie says it’s wrong to smack now. I recon Dad’s changed his mind,” Samael said cheekily. 

“I wouldn’t recommend testing that theory, little brother,” Amenadiel said with a slight smirk. “You can fold them back in now.”

Samael groaned as he folded his wings back into his back. “May I lay down somewhere?”

“You can lay in my bed,” Trixie said before taking his hand and leading him back to her room. 

Amenadiel stood up and glared at Chloe. “So, I’m guessing whatever you and your priest friend did banished the parts of my brother that were labeled the Devil. Now my baby brother has lost a part of himself and has been thrust into a world he doesn’t understand!”

Chloe didn’t answer. She simply looked down at the floor.

“Can it be fixed?” Maze asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve never heard of something like this even being possible. Look out for him please, Maze. I’ll be back when I can,” Amenadiel said.

“Great, in charge of a miniature Lucifer. Fine,” Maze said. 

Amenadiel glared at Chloe. “If I were you, I’d pray to my father that this can be fixed, otherwise…. Actually, I’m not even sure my father would grant you mercy in that case,” he said before disappearing

“He’s got a point. You think we’re pissed. Just imagine what the Creator of Universe will do when he finds out the damage you’ve done to his favorite son,” Maze said with a sadistic smirk before walking away.


	4. Chapter 4

The first place Amenadiel went was Hell to see if somehow the part of his brother that was banished somehow just got separated from Samael and sent to Hell. That hardly seemed possible, but so did his brother being turned into a child because of the work of humans.

Amenadiel went to Hell first because he wanted to see if he could find a way to resolve this without involving his father. He knew Lucifer would prefer that, even if he’s young self was asking for their father. He also knew how livid his father was going to be about this, and despite feeling the need to put fear into Chloe over it, he didn’t want to see her face his wrath. She deserved it, but Lucifer wouldn’t want that. 

Amenadiel was a bit worried about what he would find if Lucifer had been separated from Samael. Would his brother be completely unstable and dark? The thought worried him greatly. Unfortunately, that was a worry Amenadiel didn’t have to contemplate long. Lucifer was not in Hell. Amenadiel had searched for days, hours on Earth, and found nothing. There was no trace of Lucifer anywhere. The only trace of him at all so far was in the little boy at Chloe’s house. 

Amenadiel was both scared and angry. He was scared that his brother was gone, as in never coming back. He was scared that Samael was all that was left now. And of course, he was angry because that meant that meant that Chloe and that priest had essentially killed a part of his brother. 

There was a time when he would’ve been happy for Lucifer to be gone and Samael to be all that was left. There was a time when he hated who his brother had become. Now, he loved all of his brother. The parts that rebelled and became the Devil were a part of him. Amenadiel loved that little boy at Chloe’s. He missed the carefree little kid that he used to be, but he didn’t want to lose Lucifer to have him back. 

After failing to find Lucifer in Hell, Amenadiel realized he had no choice but to inform his father of what was going on. He needed help in trying to fix this, and Samael needed to be healed.

Amenadiel landed in the Silver City right outside his father’s office. He entered without knocking. He found his father behind his desk, a tall man with thin black hair and blue eyes, wearing a white suit. “Father.”

God was on alert the moment his son entered his office. Amenadiel never entered his office without knocking. None of his children did. His children all knew they were welcome to come to him, but they also knew they were meant to knock if he was in his office. If Amenadiel had disregarded that rule, it meant something was wrong. The look on his eldest’s face confirmed that belief. “Amenadiel, what’s wrong?”

Amenadiel closed the door to his father’s office and walked over to his father’s desk. “Something bad has happened, Father. I’ve tried to handle it myself, but I can’t.”

“Tell me what it is, son. I will help however I can,” God assured him.

“I’m not even sure you can. It’s that bad,” Amenadiel said.

“What is it, Amenadiel?” God asked with just a little bit of force. His son was quite distraught. He needed a little help getting this out.

“Lucifer. Something happened to him,” Amenadiel said.

God stood up from his seat and looked at his son alarmed. “Is he alright?”

“I…” Amenadiel immediately stammered. He didn’t know how to answer that question. His brother was, but wasn’t okay.

“Amenadiel, tell me what happened to your brother,” God said firmly. He understood that this was very upsetting to his son, which said in itself how dire the situation was, but he needed answers.

“I’m not totally sure. There was a priest after him. He wanted to banish him back to Hell, and he tried with some help, but it went wrong. Something happened to Lucifer that changed him. He needs you, Father. He’s asking for you,” Amenadiel said.

That was enough to truly frighten God. His son had not wanted to see him in millennia. He prayed a couple of times when he was angry or in need of help, but he never once asked to see him. “Let’s go then.”

“Wait, I haven’t told you everything,” Amenadiel said as his father quickly came to his side. 

“You can do that while I’m seeing to your brother,” God said before touching his son’s shoulder. The two of them disappeared.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Chloe was seated at the table for breakfast with Trixie and Samael. Amenadiel hadn’t returned. At first, she expected him to be back right away, thinking he was just going to fill his father in and bring him down, but Maze told her that time ran differently in Heaven. It was faster. A few minutes there meant almost a day on Earth. Lucifer must have told her that.

Chloe was more than a bit nervous about the fact that God could show up any second. She would be nervous about that no matter what. He was God. Anyone would be overwhelmed about the possibility of the most powerful being in the world showing up at their door. However, there was also the fact that Chloe had hurt his son. She was certain she’d feel his wrath. She couldn’t protest it either because she deserved it. That didn’t mean she wasn’t scared. She was more afraid now than when she found out about Lucifer. She knew all about parents who would tear apart anyone who tried to hurt their child. She was one of them. She could only imagine the anger she’d face from God himself.

Samael, meanwhile, was staring down at the object in front of him in confusion. It was supposed to be some type of food, but he’d never seen such a thing, nor had he seen the tools he’d been given to eat it. “Are you sure I should consume this?”

“Yeah, pancakes are great,” Trixie said.

“Have you ever had food before, Samael?” Chloe asked.

“Of course, but never anything like this,” Samael said.

“Well, give it a try. I’m sure you’ll like it,” Chloe said.

“Alright,” Samael said before picking up the three-pronged object next to the food. He watched Trixie and Chloe use it to eat, so he knew how it worked. He took a bite and smiled. “You were right. We should have this in Heaven.”

Just then, Maze came out from her bedroom. “I take it Amenadiel hasn’t gotten his ass back here yet.”

“What’s an ass?” Samael asked.

“Maze, clearly, he’s a sponge. Stop swearing in front of him,” Chloe said.

Maze glared at her. Like she had any right to lecture her on anything after what she’d done to Lucifer. It was her fault the kid was even there.

Chloe sighed and turned to Samael. “It’s another word we don’t say. It’s very rude.”

Samael sighed dramatically. “I don’t understand why there are words I can’t say. Why do words exist if you’re not supposed to say them?”

Trixie giggled. It was funny sometimes how much Samael didn’t understand. Her mom had told her it was because he grew up differently. Still, it was funny because these were all things that seemed obvious to her. Though she agreed with this last one. If swear words existed, they should be able to use them.

“It’s hard to explain. But you’ve never used those words before, so it shouldn’t be hard for you stop yourself from saying them now,” Chloe reasoned.

“But it’s simply unfair that I can’t say something, especially if others can say it,” Samael said before going back to his meal.

“Mommy, do I have to go to school today?” Trixie asked.

“What is school? That’s not another forbidden word, is it?” Samael asked with a grumble. 

Chloe chuckled. “No. It’s where kids here go to learn things. And, no, Monkey, you don’t have to go.” She decided to keep her daughter home today. That way Samael would have someone his own age, or who looked his age, to play with.

“Oh, you mean lessons. I have many of those,” Samael said.

“What do you learn?” Trixie asked. 

“I’m learning to fly in one of my lessons. Well, I’m trying anyway. I should know how to do it already. But it’s not my fault. Michael’s a bad teacher,” Samael grumbled. He hated that he didn’t know how to fly yet. All his older siblings had learned when they were younger than him. His mum and dad said he’d get it when he was ready, but it still bothered him. 

“That’s so cool,” Trixie said in awe. She liked her new friend a lot. Well, he wasn’t really a new friend. Trixie had figured out that Samael was really Lucifer. He was an angel and Amenadiel’s brother, and he looked just like Lucifer. Plus, she’d learned Lucifer’s real name from a friend at school who went to church every week. His name was Samael. It was obvious. And she’d always known Lucifer was telling the truth about being the Devil. He didn’t lie.

“Are you guys done eating?” Chloe asked. 

“Uh huh,” Trixie said.

“Yes,” Samael said before taking the last bite of his food. 

“You wanna go watch TV?” Chloe asked.

“What is TV?” he asked.

“I’ll show you,” Trixie said before going to the living room. 

Samael got up and followed her.

Maze stared after him. “This is freaking strange, and not something I ever wanted to experience. Thanks a lot, Decker.”

“I screwed up, Maze. I get that. I never wanted this to happen,” Chloe said quietly so the kids wouldn’t hear.

“No, you wanted him gone altogether.”

“No, I didn’t want any of it. I just didn’t know what else to do,” she said.

Just then, they both saw Amenadiel return with man with dark hair. Both women noted he looked quite a bit like Lucifer, but with differences. It wasn’t hard to tell who was in front of them.

“Where’s my son?” God asked them both urgently. 

Despite knowing that this was going to happen, Chloe was still overwhelmed by the fact that God was there, and of course afraid. 

Samael’s head popped up from the living room. “Dad?”

God turned and looked at the boy in shock. There wasn’t much that could shock God, but his son being just as he was when he was a child left him awed. “Samael.”

“Daddy!” Samael cried before running to his father. Everything that happened caught up with him. He felt so overwhelmed by the fear and pain he’d felt since waking up in a place he’d never been. He wanted comfort that only his mother or father could offer.

Trixie went over to her mother and stared at Samael’s father, who was God. It was really cool that God was in her house. She didn’t think he’d look so normal. He just looked like another person. So did Lucifer though, so she didn’t know why God wouldn’t.

God was still shocked, but he was also a father, so he reacted on instinct when his son came to him. He bent down and opened his arms for his son.

Samael ran into his father’s waiting arms. He was so happy to see his dad that he forgot about his injured wing, which began to hurt badly the moment his father’s arms closed around him. “Ow!”

God pulled his son out of his arms when he cried in pain. “Are you hurt, son. Your back? Your wings?”

“My wings,” Samael said.

“Expand them,” God said.

Samael whimpered. “It hurts when I do that.”

“I can’t help if I can’t see them, son,” God said gently. He was barely holding it together right now, but he knew he had to, especially with his son being hurt.

“Okay,” Samael said reluctantly before pulling his wings out.

God pulled the bandages off and gasped. He could see where a knife or something like it had been jabbed into his son’s wing. It was red from bleeding and some feathers were broken. “What monster did this to you?”

“It was a man. He said I was evil. Will you heal me, Dad?” Samael asked.

“Of course, son,” God said before placing his hand on his son’s hurt wing, causing him to cry a bit. “Better?”

Samael sighed in relief and folded his wings back against his back. He wasn’t in any pain right now. 

“Come sit with me,” God said before taking his son’s hand and leading him over to the couch. Amenadiel followed them. 

God sat his son down and then took a seat next to him. “Tell me all that you remember when you got hurt.”

“I woke up hurting. Not my wings, but everything else. I was scared too. I didn’t know where I was or the people with me. I wanted you and Mum. I hid in my wings, but the man hurt them. I think you made a bad creation with him, Dad,” Samael said.

If the situation was different, God might find humor in how serious the nine-century old child was being, however, the fact that he was that age and that he’d been attacked took any humor that might be there away.

“Chloe stopped him. He made him leave and then she tried to fix my wing,” Samael finished.

“That’s all you remember?” God asked.

Samael nodded. 

God looked at his oldest. “Amenadiel?”

“It was a priest. He used some sort of banishment ritual that I guess went wrong. He was given something to knock him out first,” Amenadiel said before glaring over at Chloe.

God followed his son’s eyes to Detective Decker, who avoided his eyes completely. “I see.”

“Are you angry with me, Dad?” Samael asked. His father sounded angry, and he’d honestly wondered if he’d done something to make his father send him to this place. He couldn’t think of anything, but he couldn’t think of any other reason for him to end up where he did.

“Of course not. You’re done nothing wrong, my boy. Listen, everything is going to be figure out. For now, I’m going to ask Amenadiel to take you for a fly,” God said. He planned to get to the bottom of exactly what happened, and the part Chloe Decker clearly played. 

“But I don’t want to go,” Samael protested. Usually, he would love the idea of going flying with his big brother. He loved spending time with Amenadiel, and his brother rarely had time for it anymore. But he didn’t want to leave his father, not after everything that happened. 

“Samael, I need to handle something quickly. You’re gonna spend a bit of time with your older brother while I do that.”

“No, I won’t leave!” Samael yelled with defiance in his voice.

God’s eyes hardened and he took his son from under the chin, making him look him in the eyes. He didn’t tolerate this sort of disrespect and his son knew that. Normally, he’d get a smack or two on his rear end for this sort of behavior, but God was going to settle for a lecture given everything his son had been through. “I am going to give you a pass because I know you have been through a lot, but you will not take that tone with me, young man, and you do not tell me what you will or won’t do! Now, you will go with your brother, and if you can’t behave yourself, I will have him take you somewhere that will be a lot less fun and much more boring than flying. Do you understand me?”

“But I don’t want to go. I want to stay with you,” Samael said in a much more respectful, albeit somber, tone.

God softened a bit and let go of his son’s chin. He could see the boy was upset. “Are you worried I’m leaving you, son? I promise you, that won’t happen. I will be here when you get back, and then I will explain to you why I wasn’t here when you needed me. I promise that won’t happen again.” He didn’t know how he was going to explain this to his son, but he would need to find something to say. He would not have the boy fearing abandonment. 

Samael nodded. He knew his dad didn’t lie. He’d be there when he came back. “I’m sorry for being rude, Dad. May I still go flying?”

“Apology accepted. Yes, you may. Go on,” God said with a smile.

Samael approached his brother, who Picked him up into his arms and flew him away.

Chloe turned to Maze. “Will you take Trixie for a walk please?”

“For her sake, yeah. Come on, kid. I’m sure there’s an ice cream shop open this early somewhere,” Maze said.

“Why do we have to leave?” Trixie asked. God was in her house. This was really cool.

“Because your mom has to explain some things. Let’s go,” Maze said before ushering her towards the door to put her shoes on and leave. Maze didn’t want to be there either. She was way too close to God himself for her liking.

Chloe gulped as God walked towards her looking none too pleased. His eyes made it clear that he wanted answers.


	5. Chapter 5

God advanced on the detective, stopping just feet away from her. “Hello, Detective Decker.”

Chloe resisted the urge to back away from him. God’s voice was kind, but his eyes told her of his anger. He knew she had something to do with what happened to his son. 

“I didn’t expect to meet you under these circumstance, or at all until your soul entered the Silver City. Now it remains to be seen whether or not that will even happen,” God said coolly. 

Chloe flinched. It just occurred to her that there was a good chance she’d end up in Hell. In fact, the chances seemed to be at least in the ninety percent range. She’d plotted against God’s son. It seemed impossible for her to ever end up in Hell than anywhere else. But honestly, she was more concerned about what was going to happen to her now than when she died

“My son says you saved him, however, my other son has said without words that you are why he needed to be saved. Your guilty look backs that up. I may not be as familiar with the concept of guilt as my son, but I still know it when I see it. Tell me what you have to feel guilty about. What happened to my son?” God asked.

“I…I’m not sure why he turned into a child,” Chloe said. She was stalling. She knew that wasn’t what God was asking.

God smiled, but it was very clear that it wasn’t a happy smile. “I see I’m not being clear enough. Let me explain to you what I want. I don’t to know what exactly was done to my son and what part you personally played in it.”

Chloe gulped. His voice was tight, indicating that he was getting angrier. “An exorcism or banishing ritual. I don’t know what exactly it was, I didn’t perform it. But it involved him having to drink a sedative.”

“Which you gave him, I gather. Explain to me how and why you betrayed his trust. Do not lie to me! I detest it as much as my son, and I will know!” God warned loudly.

The thought of lying never even occurred to Chloe. She’d been pretty stupid lately, but it did go so far as thinking she could effectively lie to God, especially since Maze and Amenadiel already knew, though she didn’t go into specifics with them like God was insisting she did know. “I…I saw Lucifer true face.”

“It is not his true face. It is a manifestation of how he saw himself. Continue,” God said shortly.

“I was scared. I didn’t know what to think about him. I went looking for answers. I met a priest who seemed to provide them. He had information about the other times Lucifer had come to Earth, and how he influenced people to do terrible things. I didn’t want to believe it, but I was scared. The priest said it would be best for everyone if Lucifer went back to Hell,” Chloe said in a shaky voice.

Chloe waited to see what God’s reaction would be, but he didn’t have one. His face remained the same. “I was asked to slip a sedative that was needed for the ritual to send him back to Hell into Lucifer’s drink. So, I got Lucifer to agree to go out with me, or actually to have dinner at his place. I slipped the sedative into his wine.”

“So, you’re telling me you manipulated my son’s feelings for you in order to betray him,” God said coolly.

Chloe remained silent. Nothing she said could make this seem any better. 

“Tell me the rest. I want to know exactly what my son went through between the time that you drugged him and the moment be was reduced to a small child. You will omit nothing!” God said in tone that demanded obedience.

Chloe cringed. This was about to get worse, which she hadn’t believed was possible. She was going to need to tell God of the physical agony Lucifer went through, that Samael still felt as he regained consciousness. She doubted God would be very forgiving. She knew she wouldn’t if it were her child.

“Chloe Decker, even my patience and tolerance have limits. You are reaching it with both,” God warned dangerously.

Chloe took a deep breath. “As soon as the ritual started, Lucifer started having a bad seizure. He was screaming as it continued. I’m not sure how long it all lasted, but it was at least a few minutes. Then there was a bright light. He was a child when it cleared.”

“And from what he’s told me, still in pain. You listened to my son scream as someone inflicted excruciating pain onto him. You deemed yourself qualified to decide where he was meant to be and went about sending him there!” God spat angrily.

“I…I was scared,” Chloe said. Of course, she wasn’t nearly as terrified as she was right now, standing before God and being judged for harming his son. What she’d felt regarding Lucifer was nothing compared to this.

“I see. And what frightened you so much? Was it the lengths my son went to to save your life multiple times, putting his own life at risk? In fact, the last was just a bit over a month ago, wasn’t it? He acted to save you from Cain. I’m certain you’re not aware of this, but he enclosed his wings around you, taking bullet after bullet, causing great pain!” God said, his voice becoming louder the more he spoke. He’d been watching what happened with Cain. He didn’t watch his son often since him meeting Chloe Decker, worried that he’d be too tempted to intervene, something he knew his son would resent. However, he had to pay close attention when Cain went off the rails. He wanted to be ready to intervene if his son needed him. It almost came to that, but it didn’t.

Chloe shuddered and took a step back. 

“Do you know how you came to be in this world? I don’t mean humanity in general. I mean you specifically. Do you know how you were specifically created and why?” God asked.

Chloe frowned. She didn’t expect that question and she didn’t know how to answer it. She was created the way everyone else was. Somehow that didn’t seem like what God wanted to hear, so she shook her head.

“You weren’t originally supposed to exist. You wouldn’t have without intervention. John and Penelope Decker could not conceive children together. But being who I am, I can make nearly anything possible if I deem it necessary. I can certainly make it possible for a specific child to be born,” God explained. 

Chloe was floored, so much so that she didn’t know how to respond. She never thought of a possibility of her not existing before. God had created her, and not just because he created all humanity. He made sure she was born. 

“I sent Amenadiel down to bless your parents, so that they could have you,” God went on.

“Why?” Chloe asked in disbelief. 

“To help my son. I’m sure you can see the irony in that now, can’t you? I was able to determine when he would leave Hell. I could see that he’d escape Hell one day, and that when he did, he would be pretty much lost to the darkness and bitterness. I wanted to find a way to pull him out of it, but nothing I did personally would help. I needed someone else. Someone who was different than anyone else he’d ever come across. Someone he couldn’t charm. That was the best way to get his attention. He’d want to know why you were immune to his advances and why his power didn’t work on you,” God told her. 

Chloe’s head was spinning. She’d had no inkling of this. She wondered if Lucifer did. Did he know that his father had actually created her to meet him? To somehow help him? If he did know, she could only imagine that he was angry over it. He’d made it very clear how much he resented his father’s manipulations. “What does this mean? That I was somehow made to be with Lucifer?”

“No. What you were or weren’t meant to be to each other was between you and my son. I had nothing to do with how either of you felt. If I had, you wouldn’t have been able to do what you did. I am telling you this because I am beginning to regret my choice to bring you into this world and to place you right in my son’s orbit. I thought you’d help my son. You did that and then you betrayed him, inflicting more pain onto him. He would’ve been better off never laying eyes on you,” God said coldly.

“I didn’t know any of this!” Chloe cried.

“Why should you have to? You knew my son. At least you should’ve. He’s never lied to you. He’s never attempted to manipulate you. You’ve known him for years, yet you seemed to have disregarded everything you built with him. And now my child is actually physically a child again, and he’s suffering! His wings were savagely sliced into! His small body was left radiating with agony for I don’t even know how long!” God seethed.

“I didn’t damage his wings,” Chloe tried. 

“You bear the responsibility!” God’s voice boomed, causing the woman to flinch and take another step back. “You allowed yourself to be manipulated into betraying him! It is because of you that this happened! I once thought that Samael was a threat to humanity. I never once considered that you might be a threat to him!”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt him,” Chloe said. It was the only thing she could say, and she knew it wasn’t enough.

“I want the name of the priest who mutilated my child,” God said, completely ignoring her apology. 

“William Kinley,” she said.

God scowled. He knew who William Kinley was. He had been bound for Hell not long after he’d taken his oath. That man had been committing terrible acts in his name for years, which God loathed as much as his son did. There were people in the world who thought they could get away with doing what they wanted by claiming that God or the Devil told them to or that they were doing their work. God made sure those people went straight to Hell, whether they felt enough guilt or not. He took a personal offense to people like William Kinley, and that was before the bastard had dared to harm his child. “William Kinley. Congratulations. I don’t think it’s possible to find a more despicable priest.”

“I hate myself for what I did. I’ll have to live with it forever,” Chloe said.

“If I can’t find a way to retrieve the part of my son that was stripped from him, that may not be true,” God said in a menacing tone. He then silently sent for Amenadiel to return to him.

Amenadiel appeared carrying Samael seconds later. He set the boy down on his feet. 

Samael was grinning widely. At least until he saw his father’s face. He knew his father was angry. He wasn’t talking, but Samael knew that look. It meant someone was in very big trouble. He just hoped it wasn’t him. “Why are you angry, Dad?”

“It’s nothing for you to concern yourself with, my son. I’m not upset with you. Did you have a good time with your brother?” God asked. 

Samael grinned once more. “Yeah! Dad, I can fly now. Amenadiel just showed me how. It was great!”

God wasn’t thrilled that Amenadiel had done that on Earth. Anything could happen down here, and Samael had no experience flying by himself. But he wasn’t going to take this moment away from his son. It was very exciting for an angel to master flying for the first time. “Did you? Well, that is wonderful. I told you that you just had to be patient and that you’d figure it out in time.”

“Michael can’t tease me about it anymore. I can’t wait to tell him! And Mum. Can we go home now? I want to tell Mum,” Samael said excitedly. 

God cringed. That was a can of worms he really hoped he would not have to open. He did not want to explain to his son that his mother was gone. He was just a little boy right now. He could not understand the things his mother had done. God supposed he could bring his wife back, but he wouldn’t. He didn’t trust her to be around Samael. She wasn’t like she used to be. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to stay here a while longer. I have something I need to take care of.”

“You’re leaving? But you said you wouldn’t,” Samael said with a crestfallen look on his face.

God walked closer to him and knelt down to his level. “I said I wasn’t leaving you, and I’m not. I will not be gone very long. I just need to handle something and then I will be back.”

“But you said we’d talk.”

“I know, and we will. For now, I will say that I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you when you needed me. It wasn’t because I was angry with you. I just didn’t know you were in trouble until Amenadiel came to tell me. I came for you as soon as I knew,” God explained.

“I thought you were trying to teach me something, or that I did something wrong,” Samael said.

“No, Samael. You are not to blame for anything that is happening right now, and I would never teach you anything by letting someone hurt you as that man did. No one will ever get the chance to harm you again,” God promised. 

Samael nodded and hugged his father.

God hugged his son tightly, rubbing his back a bit. He had to admit, he missed having his son in his arms like this. It had been a very long time since he’d been able to do this.

Samael pulled away after a minute. “Are we going to go home once you’re done.”

“I will take you home as soon as I can if that’s what you want,” God swore. He meant that no matter how this worked out. If he was successful in restoring his son to the way he was, he would gladly bring him home. Punishing him the way he did had been a failure, and it was over. He should’ve known better than to deviate from his normal form of punishment anyway. “Amenadiel is going to stay with you until I return.”

“Can we go flying again?” he asked with an excited glint in his eye. 

“No, not right now,” God said. If he managed to fix this after dealing with Kinley, he did not want his son in the air.

“But, Dad…”

“I said no, Samael. I don’t want any arguments. I’m sure there are plenty of fun things you can do on the ground,” God said in a firm tone.

Samael reluctantly nodded. He knew his father wasn’t going to change his mind when he used that tone, and arguing would only get him into trouble.

“I’ll be back soon. You behave for your big brother. I want glowing reports,” God said.

Samael gave his father a cheeky grin. “Of course, Dad. I’m an angel.”

God returned the grin before standing up straight. “Uh huh.”

Samael ran off to go sit down.

“Amenadiel, stay with him. I’m going to deal with the priest. I don’t want your brother left alone with Chloe Decker for any reason,” God said firmly.

“Yes, Father,” Amenadiel said. He had no intention of doing that anyway.

God turned and glared at the detective. “Detective Decker, you and are not finished.”

Chloe shifted uncomfortably. 

“Oh, and, Amenadiel, I keep forgetting to tell you congratulations on your son,” God said.

“My s…son?” Amenadiel asked in shock. He knew he was having a child, but he didn’t know it was a boy.

“Yes. I suppose I just ruined the surprise,” God said before disappearing.


	6. Chapter 6

Chloe stood outside her house. She decided to come outside to cut the tension some. Aside from the kids, everyone inside hated her right now. And the only reason Samael didn’t hate her was because he didn’t know what she’d done to him. She didn’t blame Maze or Amenadiel for what they thought of her. She had done something horrible, and as each moment passed, she feared more and more that it couldn’t be undone. She thought about the ritual and the little boy that had been left in Lucifer’s place. The ritual had been meant to banish Lucifer. That seemed to be what happened, and their didn’t seem to be any trace of him left. Amenadiel had even told her just a few minutes ago that he’d searched Hell and there was no trace of him.

The guilt was beginning to consume Chloe. It got worse the more she sat with it. She thought about everything that both Amenadiel and God said to her. They both reminded her of how Lucifer saved her life multiple times. God reminded her that Lucifer was her partner and she should know who he was. He was right. Lucifer had been a part of her life for three years. She should’ve known what he was and wasn’t capable of. It didn’t matter what Kinley said or what other people believed. Those were stories. She knew the man personally. But she’d ignored all of that out of fear.

“Mommy?”

Chloe turned to her daughter. “Hey, Monkey.”

“Are you okay?” Trixie asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Chloe lied.

“You look sad. Is it because Amenadiel and Maze are being mean or because you miss Lucifer?” Trixie asked. Amenadiel and Maze hadn’t said anything since she and Maze got back, but they gave her mean looks, and that made Trixie made. They didn’t get to be mean to her mommy.

“What makes you think I miss Lucifer?” Chloe asked.

“Because Samael’s here instead of Lucifer. I like Samael, but I miss Lucifer too. It’s sad that we can’t have both of them,” Trixie said.

Chloe frowned. “What are you talking about, baby?”

“It’s okay, Mommy. I know Samael and Lucifer are the same person. It was really obvious. Samael used to be Lucifer’s name and God and Amenadiel are his family,” Trixie said.

Chloe was floored by the perceptiveness of her daughter. She was able to figure out a situation that would blow anyone else’s mind, and treated it like it was easy to guess. “How long have you known Lucifer was really the Devil? How did you know?”

“He told us,” Trixie said as if it was obvious. It was to her. Her mom should know that Lucifer didn’t lie. 

“And you weren’t afraid?” Chloe asked.

“Why would I be scared? Lucifer doesn’t hurt people, except for the bad guys,” Trixie said.

Her daughter’s words were like a punch to Chloe’s stomach. Her daughter was a child, and she’d only seen Lucifer a handful of times, yet she had never lost faith in him. Chloe had been around Lucifer almost every day for years. She knew everything about him. He never hid anything from her. Yet, she forgot all she knew in fear. And what was she afraid of? A face? That wasn’t who Lucifer was.

Trixie could tell her mother was getting more and more upset. “Mommy, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make your more sad.”

“No, Monkey, I’m not sad because of you. I’m sad because I did something I shouldn’t have,” Chloe said. 

“What did you do?” Trixie asked.

“I was scared of Lucifer when I found out he was telling the truth about who he was. I did something that hurt him a lot,” Chloe told her.

“Is that why Maze and Amenadiel are mad at you?” Trixie asked.

“Yeah.”

“Well, just say you’re sorry. It’ll be okay, Mommy,” Trixie promised. 

“When you’re an adult, and you mess up really bad, it’s not as easy to just say you’re sorry,” Chloe tried to explain to her daughter. An apology was not going to resolve this. Even if they got Lucifer back as he was, she was very doubtful he’d ever forgive her. He would be right not to. 

Trixie went over and hugged her mother to comfort her. 

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Later, Trixie was in her room playing a board game with Samael. She wasn’t all that into playing and Samael didn’t seem to be having fun either.

“I don’t understand the purpose of moving plastic objects around a board,” Samael said.

“It’s getting boring anyway,” Trixie said before cleaning up the game and putting it back in the box.

“I wish I could go flying. I can’t believe I just learned how and I’m not allowed to practice,” the boy grumbled.

“It must be really cool to be able to fly. I wish I could see it,” Trixie said. 

Samael smiled. He would love the chance to show off, especially for someone who couldn’t fly. His learning to fly wouldn’t be such an accomplishment for his older siblings, since they all knew how already. “I’d let you see, but Dad said no, and Amenadiel wouldn’t let me either.

Trixie had a mischievous glint in her eyes. “We could go without telling anyone. There are some woods nearby you could practice in. We’d get in really big trouble if we were caught though.”

Samael’s eyes widened. “My dad would spank me good. I’m not allowed to try flying by myself.”

“Well, technically, I’d be with you, so you wouldn’t be by yourself. Do you really think your dad would hit you?” Trixie asked. She knew he’d said that before, but she’d always been taught that that was wrong. Her mom and dad didn’t hit her and neither did her friends’ parents.

“He would’ve before, but I have wondered if maybe he changed his mind since you said it wasn’t right. He didn’t smack me for being disrespectful,” Samael said. He did say he wanted to test his theory, but his backside would really pay for it if he was wrong.

“Maybe you’re right. He could’ve changed his mind. Besides, he can only punish you if we get caught. We can try to back before anyone notices we’re gone,” Trixie said.

“I suppose. Alright, I enjoy risks,” Samael said.

Trixie smiled and led him to her bedroom window.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

It of course wasn’t hard for God to find William Kinley. He could find anyone he wished with one thought. However, getting him alone was another matter. Kinley spent over an hour with another priest, trying to convince him of the evil of God’s son, which only served to piss God off even more.

God had decided not to approach Kinley while he was speaking to the other man. That priest was actually innocent, and spent his time preaching faith instead of attacking people. There was no need to frighten an innocent human with his presence. 

Soon, enough Father Kinley was alone in his office in the church, or at least he thought he was. He was quite unhappy after a failed attempt at convincing his colleague of Lucifer Morningstar’s evil. The other priest had recoiled when he told him that he’d tried to stab the Devil in his child form. “Why can’t people understand? I am doing God’s work.”

“Are you?”

Father Kinley was startled by the voice. He turned to see a man the doorway of his office. It took him by surprise because he never heard anyone coming. Plus, he’d been fairly certain he’d locked the door upon his colleague’s exit. He must have been mistaken. 

“That seems like something I should be aware of, don’t you think?” God asked as he stepped inside.

“Who are you?” Father Kinley asked. 

“Oh, you’ll learn that soon enough, Father,” God said. He spat the last word out like it tasted terribly on his mouth. William Kinley was a disgrace to his title, and he had been long before he targeted Samael. “So, you’re doing God’s work, are you? He’s hired you?”

“Are you a skeptic, sir? You don’t believe in God? Yet, you’ve come here, so you must at least wonder,” Father Kinley said.

God smirked. “Oh, I believe in God. In fact, I’d say it’s more than belief. But I doubt he’s asked the likes of you to do anything.”

“God doesn’t ask through human means. He guides us to what he wants us to do. We must just pay attention to the signs,” Father Kinley said.

“Oh, I see, and you believe he ‘guided’ you to slice into a child’s body?” God asked coldly.

Father Kinley froze. There was no way this man could know that. Even if he’d been standing right outside the door when he discussed it, the room was sound proof. He couldn’t have heard that. “How did you know that?”

God took a few steps closer to the priest. “Even if I did need a human to complete my work, do you really think I’d leave the job to the likes of you.”

Father Kinley gasped and took a step back. It wasn’t. It couldn’t be. This man must be playing him. There was no way he was actually God. “I don’t know who you are, but impersonating God will see you damned!”

“You know nothing about the damned, William Kinley, but I don’t mind informing a bit about it. You’ve been on the list since your very first year with the church. You murdered a seventeen-year-old boy for vandalizing a church. You said you were doing God’s work. You used my name to murder a child. He was a misguided child, yes, but he was a child.

Father Kinley went as white as a sheet. He had never told a single person of that act. This man couldn’t have known. But surely that didn’t mean he was God. God didn’t personally intervene with anything.

“I didn’t involve myself, other than to vow you’d never stop foot into my domain. I detest crimes in my name. I don’t interfere though, not typically. But you crossed a line. You went after my son, making it much more personal,” God said. A white light then emitted from his body.

Father Kinley scrambled backwards, knocking into a wall. “No. I was protecting the world. He’s the Devil. He’s a monster.

God waved and the man was brought to him. God put a hand on his throat. “Call my son one more name. I dare you!”

Wisely, Father Kinley remained silent, not that he could say much when the air was being taken from him by the hand of God.

“What did you do to my son?” God demanded in a low voice. He loosened his grip slightly to allow the pathetic excuse for a priest to speak. 

“I had to! There is a prophecy…”

“I am aware of all prophecies. Prophecies are subjective. Stop wasting my time. What did you do to my son?!” God asked again in a louder tone.

“An exorcism. The instructions are in my pocket. It wasn’t supposed to happen the way it did,” Father Kinley said quickly.

God reached into his jacket pocket and took out a slip of paper. “Normally, judgment comes once a human has died, and they mostly judge themselves. But I have no patience for that, nor will I allow a threat to my child to remain active. You will never hurt my son again.”

Before Father Kinley could even speak, God gestured with the hand not occupied by Kinley’s throat, and all the air was sucked from the priest before all life left him.

God let the body fall to the ground and waited. Mere seconds later, his daughter, Azrael appeared looking shocked.

“Dad?” Azrael asked in disbelief. She knew her father had killed this man. There was no human cause for him to have died. But her father never killed humans. They were left to their own devices. This guy had to have done something awful. 

“Take him straight to Hell, Azrael. I don’t care about his lack of guilt. I want him in a cell,” God said firmly.

“Yes, Dad,” Azrael said before collecting his soul disappearing.

God examined the piece of paper with Kinley’s exorcism. He was very unhappy with the results. This was a common exorcism. It wouldn’t have banished his son. It wasn’t even likely it would’ve exorcized a demon. It would’ve likely hurt a demon, and anyone it was used on, as there were some properties that made it affect the supernatural, but it wouldn’t banish anyone. That meant that this ritual had not rendered Samael as he was, and that mean God still didn’t know what did.


	7. Chapter 7

Amenadiel was becoming nervous. His father had been gone for hours. It was getting late. It shouldn’t have taken his father this long to deal with the priest. He wasn’t really worried about his father. His father could handle a human. He could handle anything. He was God. That bastard didn’t stand a chance. His father was going to literally send him to Hell. His father didn’t usually kill humans, nor had he even intervened regarding humans often, but this was an exception, given that the priest had done significant damage to Lucifer. Their father wasn’t going to let that stand. Hell, even Chloe’s fate was in question right now. 

It was Lucifer that Amenadiel was concerned with. His father had not yet returned. Since finding and stopping the priest couldn’t possibly be the issue, it had to be restoring Lucifer to the way he was. What if there was no way to do that? What if even their father couldn’t bring Lucifer back?

Amenadiel didn’t even want to think of that because if they couldn’t bring Lucifer back, it would be like he was essentially dead. Yes, Samael was technically Lucifer, but they were different, and unless his father repeated everything that led Samael to his rebellion, which Amenadiel seriously doubted he’d do, his brother would never be the way that he was. Yes, in certain ways, that might be a good thing, but it still meant that a part of his brother was lost.

Chloe soon walked into the living room from down the hall by the bedrooms. “Amenadiel, have you seen your brother?”

“I assume you mean the part you didn’t banish,” Amenadiel said irritably.

Chloe ignored the comment. She had other concerns right now. Plus, she deserved it. “Trixie and Samael are not in her room.”

“Did you ask Maze?” Amenadiel asked.

“Yeah, I just knocked on her door. She hasn’t seen them,” Chloe said.

“Samael! Come here!” Amenadiel called out his younger brother.

There was no answer, but Maze came out a second later. “You guys lost them.”

“I’m gonna look out back,” Chloe said, becoming more worried. 

“They didn’t pass me,” Amenadiel said.

“It didn’t’ occur to either of you to keep a closer eye on the boy that becomes the leader of Hell?” Maze asked with a roll of her eyes.

“I didn’t see you paying better attention,” Amenadiel said annoyed. 

“Not my job,” she retorted.

“Okay, I’m going to check outside just in case,” Chloe said before heading out of the house.

“Maybe he went back to hell… I mean Heaven,” Maze said.

“He just learned to fly. He can’t get that far. Besides, Trixie is with him. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t go flying,” Amenadiel realized. Samael had been excited when he showed him how to fly. He wanted to go out again, and he certainly wouldn’t mind having Trixie with him to show off. 

Chloe came back in seconds later. “They’re not out there. Oh, God, Kinley. Maybe he…”

“No, my father will have gotten to him by now. I think Samael may have just decided to practice his flying skills and Trixie decided to go with him,” Amenadiel said. 

“Great. It’ll go over well when people all over LA see a tiny human looking boy flying,” Maze said sarcastically. She doubted mini Lucifer would be able to be discreet when he flew. He was barely discreet as an adult, but at least he didn’t let anyone see his wings. Kid Lucifer, however, didn’t know that most humans didn’t know angels actually existed. 

“You don’t think he would fly with Trixie, do you?” Chloe asked Amenadiel as her fear creeped up even further. The idea of her daughter in the air with a little angel who just learned to fly hours earlier scared the Hell out of her, and she had no doubt that Trixie would do it if Samael offered. Her kid was very daring. 

“I don’t think so, but I can’t be certain,” Amenadiel said.

Just then, God returned and looked around the room. “Amenadiel, where’s your brother?”

Amenadiel cringed. He was not looking forward to telling his father that he’d lost Samael. His father had entrusted him with the boy. “I…I’m not sure. He and Trixie are missing. I think Samael decided to show off his new flying ability. I’m sorry, Father. I should’ve been watching him better.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Amenadiel. Your brother is not so young that he should need to be watched every second. He should know how to behave even when someone else isn’t in the room,” God said.

“We should go look for them,” Chloe said.

“No need for that,” God said before waving his hand. The two children appeared in front of him. Samael had his wings spread out. 

Trixie was a bit startled when she went from the woods to her loving room in seconds. Then she looked around at the unhappy looks at all the adults and gulped. “Hi, Mommy.

“Trixie, what in the world were you thinking?!” Chloe asked in harsh tone.

Samael looked down at his feet, not daring to look at his father. He was in deep trouble. He knew that. He really hoped now that his father had changed his mind about the way he punished because if he didn’t, Samael was in for it.

“Wings away,” God ordered.

Samael immediately complied.

“You want to tell me where you were and what you were doing there?” God asked.

Samael shook his head no.

“No? Too bad for you it wasn’t a real question. Tell me what you were doing now, young man!” God ordered in a hard tone. 

“It was my idea,” Trixie blurted out. 

“Trixie!” Chloe admonished before going over pulling her daughter.

Trixie ignored her mother. “We were both bored. Samael said he wanted to go flying. I convinced him to sneak out so he could show me. I thought we could be back before we got caught, but we lost track of time.”

“Trixie, you know better than to sneak out of this house. You certainly know not to go into the woods by yourself,” Chloe lectured.

“Samael also knew better than this. I do appreciate you taking responsibility, child, but my son knows he’s responsible for his own actions,” God said to Trixie before bending down to his son’s level and taking ahold of his chin. “What did I say to you before you left.”

“No flying and listen to Amenadiel,” Samael said quietly.

“That’s right. You disobeyed me on both fronts, didn’t you?” God asked.

“Yes, Dad. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too, Mommy,” Trixie said. 

“I’m sure you are, but this isn’t going away without punishment. You’re gonna be spending a lot of time in your room for a couple of weeks. No desert, no TV, and no going anywhere except for school or your dad’s. Do you understand?” Chloe asked.

“Yes, Mommy,” Trixie said sadly.

“Might I borrow a room so that I may have a much needed conversation with my son?” God asked.

Samael whined. He knew what that meant. “No, Dad! That’s not fair!”

“We will discuss this in private, son,” God said in a tone that booked no room for argument.

“My room is available. First door on the right,” Chloe said. She was hesitant because she was pretty sure she knew what was about to happen. Samael told her that his father preferred physical punishments, which she didn’t really believe in. But it wasn’t her child. She had no say in how another parent disciplined his child, especially when that parent was God.

“Thank you,” God said before standing up. “Let’s go, son.”

“No, please, Dad!” The boy pleaded.

“Samael, this is going to happen. Would you prefer to do it in private or in front of everyone here?” God asked before extending his hand expectantly.

Samael reluctantly and miserably took his father’s hand and was led down the hall into a room.

God walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I don’t like this anymore than you do, son, but you knew the consequences of your behavior.”

“But it’s not fair. Trixie isn’t going to get smacked,” Samael whined.

“Trixie isn’t my child. I don’t decide her punishment. You are my child,” God said firmly.

Samael frowned in confusion. “But you made her.”

“I made her species, yes, but it isn’t the same as how I made you. You are my child. The human race is my creation, but they govern themselves. I will explain this to you in more detail another day, but for now, understand that Trixie answers to her mother and you do to me. Come here please.”

“But it’s not fair,” Samael whined again. He really wasn’t. They’d both done the same thing, but he was being punished more. 

“Perhaps not, but it’s time for you to start learning that the world isn’t always fair. You knew exactly how you’d be punished when you disobeyed me, isn’t that right?” God asked. 

“Sort of. I thought maybe you changed your mind because Trixie said hitting kids is wrong,” Samael said.

“That is the belief here because in the past, people have taken discipline too far. I don’t influence how people feel on matters such as this here, but it doesn’t apply to our family. Now, I’m sorry you thought the rules had changed, but I’m afraid they haven’t, nor should you assume so again unless I tell you. Now, come here please. Let us get this done.”

Samael let out a whine as she slowly walked over to his father. 

God gently took him by the wrist. “You understand why I’m going to punish you, right?”

“Yes. Because I went flying after you told me no,” Samael said miserably.

“Yes, and because you ran off without telling anyone. This place is not like the Silver City. It is more dangerous here. You don’t know anyone here and they don’t know who or what you are. You might have been hurt,” God lectured.

“I don’t understand,” Samael said.

“I know you don’t. We will discuss it more later. For now, we will deal with your behavior,” God said before pulling him across his knee.

Samael groaned and buried his head into the soft bed.

God raised his hand and let it connect with his son’s butt, causing the boy yelp. 

“I’m sorry, Dad,” Samael cried.

God forced himself to ignore his son’s cries and kept spanking him. “I don’t do this out of anger. I need you to understand that your actions have consequences,” he said as he continued the punishment. 

Samael cried as he his father kept smacking him. He began to wonder just what he was thinking when he decided to disobey his father. He’d disobeyed before, but this was probably one of the worst times.

“You just barely learned how to fly. What if you’d fallen?” God asked.

Samael began to feel really bad as he heard the fear in his father’s voice. He messed up good this time. “Sorry.”

God gave him a couple more and then stopped. He rubbed his son’s back as he cried. “Okay, son, it’s all over.”

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” Samael cried. 

“I know, child. It’s forgiven now. I love you,” God said softly.

“I love you too,” he cried.

“I’m going to put you in some more comfortable clothes, son,” God said before waving his hand. The boy’s pants and dress shirt morphed into a pair of plaid pajama pants and a light blue t-shirt. God then pulled him to his feet and hugged him.

“I won’t do it again, Dad. Sorry for worrying you,” Samael said as he buried his head in his father’s shoulder.

God rubbed his back. “It’s all finished now, though you do owe your brother an apology. He was upset when he couldn’t find you.”

“Yes, Dad,” Samael said before pulling out of his father’s arms and rubbing his eyes. He also rubbed his backside a bit. The stinging was subsiding just a bit, but it still hurt. “When are we going home?”

“I’m not sure yet. Let’s go see your brother, so you can deliver your apology,” God said before standing up and taking his son’s hand. 

“Okay. Dad? Will I ever do something bad enough that you’ll sent me away?” Samael asked. 

God froze and turned to the child. “What made you think to ask me that?”

“I don’t know. I just thought of it,” Samael said.

“So you didn’t remember something that maybe you forgot before?” God asked. It was a very specific question, and at this stage in his life, Samael had no reason to ask it. It made him think that his son was still all there, at least somewhere. 

“No, I don’t think so. What would I remember?” Samael asked confused. 

“It doesn’t matter. No, son, I will not be sending you anywhere because of something you do wrong. I may have to send you off for a short time with one of your siblings or something, but I will not abandon you,” God said firmly. Sending his son away was the worst mistake he ever made, and clearly, it still affected the boy. It would not happen again.

Samael nodded that he understood, and the two of them walked out of the room.


	8. Chapter 8

God watched his now very young son sleep. The boy was in Mazikeen’s bed. The demon had offered it. God suspected she planned to leave soon for the night. Understandably, she didn’t feel comfortable being so close to him, though he meant her no ill will. 

God smiled kind of sadly as he looked at his son. He’d missed seeing his son like this. Peaceful and happy, things he hadn’t been in a long time. But the happy little boy came at a price. The rest of him was locked up somewhere inside of him and didn’t seem likely to come out anytime soon, at least not consciously. A part of the older version of his son was there. God had seen that through Samael’s fears, but that part was buried.

“Father?”

God turned to see Amenadiel standing in the doorway. 

“Lucifer’s gone, isn’t he?” Amenadiel asked in a devastated tone. The fact that his father had returned after dealing with Kinley and hadn’t restored Lucifer made Amenadiel believe that he couldn’t. That fear had actually been in Amenadiel’s head since he searched hopelessly for his brother in Hell and found no trace of him, but he still hoped his father would have some luck.

God motioned for his son to leave the room, so they wouldn’t wake Samael, and followed him. He found Chloe Decker seated at the table. Mazikeen was standing a few feet away as well. With a hard stare directed to the detective, God took the piece of paper he’d gotten from Kinley from his pocket and showed it to her. “Is this what you and Kinley used on my son.”

Chloe took and looked at the paper. “I think so. He showed it to me once in Rome. This looks like it.”

“Well, then, Detective, it seems to be your lucky day. Your ritual didn’t do this to my son, at least not directly. Be grateful because you may have just shared the same fate as your priest friend if it had,” God said in a hard tone.

“Father, what are you talking about?” Amenadiel asked.

“It’s just a standard exorcism. It wouldn’t repel a demon, let alone send your brother to Hell,” God said.

“But it did something to him. I saw it,” Chloe said. As soon as Kinley started chanting, she’d seen Lucifer convulse and scream. He was in pain. 

God glared at her. “Yes, you hurt him. The exorcism has enough supernatural properties to cause excruciating pain, but it could not banish anyone.”

“Then what the Hell happened him?” Maze asked.

“Yes, I don’t understand. Do you think Kinley did something else to him? How could this have happened to him?” Amenadiel asked in confusion.

“I think your brother was semiconscious at some point during this torture. That, or he realized that the woman he trusted so much had poisoned him right before he lost consciousness,” God said.

Chloe shifted uncomfortably as she was reminded of what she’d done to Lucifer. She hoped God was wrong. She didn’t even want to think about what Lucifer might have been going through if he knew she’d betrayed him.

“I believe it is, as humans say, the straw that broke the camel’s back. He knew he’d been betrayed. He trusted Detective Decker more than anything and she’d proved that that trust was misplaced. Compounded with everything else, he simply couldn’t deal with it.” God said grimly. He’d begun to suspect when he realized the exorcism couldn’t have done it, but he really started to believe when Samael asked him if he’d ever send him away. That’s how he knew that who his son was was still in there.

Amenadiel gasped in horror. “He made himself like this?”

“How could he have done that? He has the power to turn himself into a child?” Chloe asked in disbelief.

“No, not exactly, but we both recently learned that we decide our own fate. Lucifer got his devil face because he felt like a monster. He received his wings back because he felt unconsciously that he’d earned them back. It was the same with me losing and getting my wings back,” Amenadiel explained.

Chloe paled. If she was understanding this right, the face she saw when Lucifer killed Pierce was just his guilt. It wasn’t who he really was. She recalled God telling her that, but she was so nervous and guilty that she didn’t really give it much thought. That made what she did so much worse. She’d acted on a face that was just the result of guilt. And that guilt was proof that Lucifer wasn’t what Kinley tried to make him.

“Starting to get it now, Decker?” Maze asked coldly. 

Chloe’s mind started to turn to what they were saying about how Lucifer turned back into Samael. Amenadiel was essentially telling her that angels changed based on what they felt they needed or deserved. At least that was how she was interpreting it. “So, he subconsciously did this because he didn’t feel safe? That’s what you’re saying?”

“He didn’t feel safe, and he didn’t feel like there was anyone he could count on. He was pushed too far. At least that’s my theory,” God said.

“So, no matter how you spin it, I’m responsible for this,” Chloe said quietly. No, what she did wasn’t physically responsible for this, but her actions still caused it. In fact, this way might even be worse. 

“Yes. Your actions told my son he wasn’t safe and that there was no one could trust. You are responsible, but not solely. You pushed him over the edge, but I guided him to that edge,” God said. As much as he wanted to place all the blame on Chloe Decker and William Kinley, he was just as responsible. No, he was more responsible. His actions, made out of anger, had caused his son to feel unloved, and had led to much of his trust issues. It had also inadvertently led to the world vilifying him. If God hadn’t done what he did, his son’s pain would not have been what it was. So, as angry as he was with the woman in front of him, he could not place all the blame on her.

“Father…” Amenadiel started.

God raised a hand to stop him. “It is the truth, son. I must live with that.”

“Yeah, I don’t think there’s any real question that this is your fault, but it doesn’t matter if you can fix it. Can you?” Maze asked.

“It’s immaterial. I won’t,” God said firmly. The truth was that, yes, he could probably restore his son to the way he was, but that wasn’t going to solve anything. His son been broken, both by him and the woman he’d come to love. That wasn’t something he couldn’t just fix. The best he could do was give his son what he wanted and needed. That just might mean leaving Samael as he was.

“What?” Maze asked with an edge to her voice that would scare pretty much anyone else.

“Father, you want to leave him like this?” Amenadiel asked.

“Amenadiel, I believe I have spent long enough making your brother’s choices for him. All Samael… All Lucifer wanted was to decide for himself,” God said. It was time for him to finally listen to his son, even if that meant never seeing the man he became ever again. This was not about what anyone else wanted or needed. He had to do what was right for his son. Lucifer had obviously thought somewhere deep down that started fresh, from a time that he was happy, was what was best for him. God couldn’t say that he was wrong. 

“And this is the time you choose to actually listen to him?” Maze asked angrily.

“You said he did it unconsciously. That means he didn’t even realize he was choosing it,” Chloe argued. This couldn’t happen. If God didn’t restore Lucifer to the way he was, he would be gone. She would never see him again. And of course, the irony of that hit Chloe almost immediately. That’s exactly what would’ve happened if the exorcism had worked. Lucifer would’ve been in Hell. She never would’ve seen him again. She could almost laugh. She was getting what she wanted, and now she’d do anything to change it.

“It doesn’t matter. It is still what he wanted, consciously or not. I won’t take it from him,” God said.

“But he can’t understand this world. Even in Heaven, he’ll be lost. His siblings are all adults when he’s just a child. Even those younger than him, like Remiel and Azrael, are much older than him now. He won’t be able to cope with it,” Amenadiel said. If he was being honest about it, he was the one who wasn’t sure he could cope with it. He and Lucifer had become close again. He didn’t want to lose him again. He was close to Samael too, but it wasn’t the same. And now he was going to be a father. Lucifer, as he was, would never get to know his son.

“He can. We will make sure of that,” God said.

“Dad,” A small voice called out.

They all turned to see Samael in the doorway. 

“Hello, son. You aren’t supposed to be up right now. Did you have a nightmare?” God asked.

Samael nodded and walked over to his father. “That man who hurt me was back. He tried again.”

God knelt in front of him. “No one’s going to hurt you anymore, child. That man is no threat to anyone anymore. I’ve made sure of that.”

“Am I evil, Dad? He said I was, and in my dream, I saw you, and you said it too,” Samael said.

God sighed. This was more evidence that his theory regarding his son was right. Samael was remembering unconsciously what went on between them. God had never once called his son evil, but their fighting had likely led Lucifer to believe he did think that. That was manifesting in Samael’s dreams. “No, Samael. I never want you to think that. You are not and never will be evil. I would never tell you that. I love you.”

Samael nodded. “I love you too.”

God hugged his son for a moment and then pulled away. “Do you think you can go back to sleep?”

“Can’t we go home? I miss Mum and everyone else. You can’t tell him, but I even miss Michael,” Samael said.

God forced a smile on his face so his son wouldn’t know anything was wrong. Truthfully, he was dreading the conversation he was going to have to have with his son regarding his mother. He was not going to take it well. He wanted his mother, and that could never happen again. Then there was of course the conversation about how all of Samael’s siblings had suddenly become adults while he was still a child. There were some touch conversations in their future. “We will go home soon, but we need to stay here a little longer.”

“Why?” Samael asked.

“I will explain soon. For now, you need to go to sleep,” God said.

Samael knew he was being put off and he didn’t like it. He wanted his mother, and he didn’t understand why he couldn’t see her. “Are we staying here because Mum’s mad at me?”

“No. No one is angry with you. Things are just very complicated right now. We will speak more on it tomorrow,” God assured him before rising to his feet and putting a hand on his son’s shoulder, leading him back to the bedroom he was sleeping in.

“Is Mum okay?” Samael asked.

“Yes, she’s fine. Come on, get into bed,” God said.

Samael climbed into the bed and laid down.

God covered him up with the blanket. “I know things are very strange right now, but I promise you that everything will be alright.”

“Okay,” Samael said. He still wasn’t satisfied, but he trusted his father. If he said it would be okay, it would.

“Goodnight, son,” God said before leaving the room. He walked back out into the kitchen.

“Father, maybe Mom could…”

“No, Amenadiel,” God interrupted abruptly. He knew what his son was about to say.

“But he wants her, and even with everything that’s happened between the two of you, you have to know she loves him,” Amenadiel said.

“Of course, I know that, son, but it isn’t enough. She tore him apart as an adult. She told him that I wanted him dead,” God said. He was furiously when he found that out. His relationship with his son had been bad enough without his ex-wife’s help. “And that was the least of what she did to him. She waited until he was at his happiest moment to hurt him as much as she could in order to goad him into starting a war. “No, I won’t have that around Samael. I won’t , have it around any of you.”

“For once, I agree with your father. You mom is a manipulative bitch,” Maze said.

“Amenadiel, I’m going to need some help in explaining things to your brother. I believe you have a doctor friend who can help with that. Plus, I admit, I’m anxious to meet the mother of my grandchild,” God said.

“Yes, of course. I’ll call Linda in the morning,” Amenadiel said.

“Well, I’m getting out of here. I’ve had more than enough. I’ll be at Lux getting as drunk as possible,” Maze said before heading to the door.

“Amenadiel, I need to return to the Silver City to explain things to your siblings. When your brother wakes, let him know I’ll be back as soon as I can,” God said. Samael would wake before he returned, as time on Earth moved differently than in Heaven. God didn’t want to leave his son, but he did need to explain things to the others before he returned with Samael.

“I will,” Amenadiel promised.

God then disappeared.


	9. Chapter 9

Azrael was concerned. She and her siblings were all sitting in the room where they had their family meetings. Her father called meetings from time to time, so that wasn’t the concerning part. The fact that she’d been summoned to attend was. She was usually exempt from these meetings, not because her father didn’t want her there, but because he realized the importance of her work, and that she couldn’t always get away. She was usually informed about the meeting afterwards. She was only expected to attend the really important meetings, which apparently included this one. She was also concerned because her last encounter with her father earlier in the day, when he’d killed a priest and ordered her to send him straight to Hell. She had a feeling this meeting had something to do with that. 

“Anyone know what’s going on?” her brother, Gabriel, who to humans would appear to be in his late thirties with blonde hair and green eyes.

“No, but Dad did leave the City for a while,” Michael, who had dark brown hair with brown eyes. 

Soon, they all heard a door open and close. God had joined them. “Everyone sit down, please.”

They all took their seats at the large rectangular table that took up three quarters of the room.

God sat at the head of the table. “There are some things I need to explain to you all. They will all come as a shock to you all, and I know you will all have questions, but I ask that you allow me to finish what I have to say before you ask them.

They all nodded that they understood. 

“Earlier, Amenadiel came to inform of a problem that needed my direct attention. It involved Samael,” God said.

That caused a reaction from everyone. Most responded in suspicion or anger, but a few, like Azrael, were concerned.

“What has he done? We should’ve known he’d become a problem if he remained on Earth,” Gabriel said.

“Gabriel, I believe I asked you not to speak until I was done,” God reprimanded. He wasn’t surprised that Gabriel had spoken up. Gabriel and Samael were close as children. Gabriel was only two centuries older than Samael, so they sought each other out often, as well as their brothers, Raziel, who was just a century younger than Samael, and Manuel, who was a few decades apart from Gabriel. But as time went on, they drifted. By the time Samael rebelled, he and Gabriel fought even more than Samael and Michael did. 

“Sorry, Dad,” Gabriel said. It was clear he was still angry though.

Azrael was tempted to speak up to, but out of concern for her brother instead of to blast him. But she kept quiet as her father requested.

“Your brother was done nothing. Actually, what happened was the work of humans. A priest, with the help of a human ‘friend’ of your brother’s sought to banish him from Earth,” God said. He used finger quotes when he spoke the word ‘friend’. Chloe Decker had proved she was no friend of his son’s.

Realization hit Azrael. That was why her father had killed that priest and insisted on her sending him right to Hell. He’d harmed Lucifer. That was certainly enough to piss her father off. Despite their differences, he would take a large offense to someone hurting Lucifer. “Is he okay? I’m sorry, I know you wanted us quiet, but I need to know if Lucifer’s okay.”

God sighed. That was a question that was harder to answer than most would think. “The exorcism used was unsuccessful. It was nothing more than the standard procedure humans use when they think they are exorcising demons. All it did was cause him excruciating pain,” he said anger evident in his voice as he finished.

Everyone managed to remain quiet this time, but they were waiting anxiously. They knew this was not all there was. 

“However, it caused emotional trauma. Your brother was pushed over the edge. He lost all trust he had and felt unsafe, so he unconsciously reverted, physically and mentally. When he awoke, he was no longer, Lucifer, who’d rebelling and was unfairly punished for it. He was Samael.”

“It wasn’t unfair,” one of them immediately blurted out. 

“Wait, what that mean? He lost his memory?” Azrael also spoke. It seemed more complicated than that though. Her father said he reverted physically too. What did that mean?

God sighed. He should’ve known his children wouldn’t be able to remain quiet long enough for him to explain it all. This was some very shocking and concerning information. He couldn’t blame them. “Yes, but that’s hardly all of it. Your brother returned to his former self quite literally. He is a child.”

“A child? How is that possible?” Remiel, seated next to Azrael said.

“I didn’t even think something like that was possible. Unless you deemed it so,” Michael said. 

“Which I did not. This is something both Amenadiel and Samael… well, Lucifer, recently learned. You are all capable of choosing your fate based on what you need or feel you deserve. It is why Amenadiel lost his powers for a time and why Lucifer regained his wings after destroying them,” God explained.

There were many scowls towards God’s last comment.

God noticed those looks and met them with a stern look. “Your brother’s choices are not for you to judge. As I was saying, I believe that is the case here.”

“He wanted this? Why would anyone want to be a child again?” Michael spoke for the first time. He’d been trying to take in all the information, plus he wanted to respect his father’s request to stay quiet until he was done.

“Unless it’s a plot. That would make sense,” Gabriel said.

“Yes, he’s capable of anything,” another, Orphiel, said.

“That’s stupid. Why would he wanna do that? What does it get him?” Manuel asked from next to Michael.

“Access to the Silver City,” Orphiel replied.

“He doesn’t want access to the Silver City, moron,” Azrael shot at him.

“Enough!” God said in a raised tone, getting everyone to quiet down and turn back to him. “Your brother is not conducting some sort of plot. I don’t believe he would do that. He’s had plenty of chances for that. As for why he did it, it wasn’t a conscious decision. It happened because he felt the need to fine a safe and happy place. The last time he was either of those things was centuries ago, when he was young. That is my theory on how this happened.”

“But one priest wouldn’t cause him to shut down like that. There are billions of people who think the worst of him because of the lies in the Bible. How could one priest cause this?” Azrael asked.

“It wasn’t the priest. He was betrayed by a friend, the first to earn his trust in a long time. When he realized he couldn’t trust her…

“He broke,” Azrael finished in a tight voice. She was certain she knew who it was that had done this and she really wanted to go and deal with a certain detective for hurting her big brother.

“What does this mean, Dad. Are you bringing Samael back to the Silver City?” Michael asked. He figured out that this was not something his father would just fix and leave alone. If that were the case, he would’ve done it and there would be no need for this meeting.

“Yes. Very soon, I will be returning with your brother,” God answered.

Many voices broke out in anger.

“After everything he’s done!”

“He doesn’t belong here!”

“Gabriel and Orphiel are right. The bastard’s plotting!”

“You will all stop this now!” God ordered loudly, quieting everyone once more. “None of you decide who belongs here! That is for me to decide! And this trashing of your brother is to stop immediately. This is not the first time that I have told you all that I will not stand for it!” This was actually something he’d had to say quite often, especially right after his son was sent away. They all knew he would not stand for this sort of disrespect towards their brother.

“How old is Samael now?” Michael wondered.

“Nine centuries,” God told him.

“So little. He couldn’t even fly then,” Raphael, who sat next to Michael with dirty blond hair said.

“He can now. Amenadiel taught him,” God said.

“What happens if he at some point, he returns to normal after you bring him back?” Michael asked.

“That is up to him. If he wants to stay, we continue to embrace him, as I expect you all to do now. If not, we let him go while letting him know he’s welcome to come back whenever he wishes,” God said.

“It’s about time,” Azrael said before she could stop herself. “Uh, sorry?”

God chuckled. “Don’t be, dear. You are right. This situation has opened my eyes quite a bit.”

“So, either way, he gets to come back as if nothing happens,” Gabriel said angrily. He should’ve known it would happen eventually. Samael was always the favorite. He would be forgiven eventually. “He disobeyed.”

“Hmm. As has everyone in this room. Let us not pretend that each and every one of you has not had more than a few turns over my knee,” God said.

Many faces grew red with embarrassment.

“This is different,” Gabriel argued.

“Yes, it is, because it is the one time that I let my anger get the best of me and hurt your brother. It is a large part of why this is happening. But it stops now. I will not allow your brother to be hurt any longer. The rebellion is in the past and I want it left there. I don’t expect you to forget it, but I won’t have you using it against Samael, especially now. He is just a child. He can’t understand your anger and he doesn’t deserve it,” God said firmly.

“We may as well forget it. He has,” Michael said. He knew many would likely be surprised to hear that from him, given that his relationship with Samael had been more than a bit rocky in the past. He still couldn’t say he was thrilled with what was happening, but he was not going to bully a child, who knew nothing of what had happened.

Gabriel looked at his brother in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? You of all people are gonna defend him?”

“I will not ridicule a child, Gabriel. I’m not going to take something out on him that he can’t remember.”

“None of you will. Am I clear? You will not like the consequences if I find you’ve done anything to purposely upset Samael. He’s to be treated the same as everyone here. Do you all understand?” God asked in a stern tone.

Everyone nodded, most reluctantly so.

“Excellent. You’re all dismissed. I will be leaving soon. When I return, your brother will be with me,” God said.

They nodded again and filed out of the room.


	10. Chapter 10

Chloe was cleaning up from breakfast as the kids were coloring at the table. She’d decided to start Trixie’s punishment for sneaking out of the house a little later. It didn’t feel right to confine her to her room while Samael was there. It was a little too cruel. Plus, it helped keep the boy busy, as he began to get antsy the moment he woke up and found out his father was gone.

Amenadiel was also nearby, sitting on the couch in the living room. He had a good eye on his brother, not willing to leave Chloe alone with him for even a minute.

“This is strangely enjoyable,” Samael said as he colored in one of Trixie’s books. He couldn’t understand the point when Trixie had first told him what ‘coloring’ meant, but he found himself enjoying the activity. 

“Coloring can be fun,” Trixie agreed. 

Soon, there was a knock at the door. Chloe immediately went and answered it. “Hey, Linda. Come on in.”

“Hi, Chloe. Amenadiel called and said there was a problem with…” Linda trailed off as she walked inside and saw the young boy seated at the table with Trixie. “Good God!”

Samael looked up and frowned. “My dad’s not here right now.”

‘Uh, Trixie, why don’t you and Samael color in your room. And this time, that better be where you stay,” Chloe told her daughter firmly.

“Yes, Mom my,” Trixie said before gathering her coloring book and crayons. She and Samael then ran off to her room.

Linda stared at Amenadiel in shock. “That wasn’t…”

“It was. It was Lucifer. Sort of,” Amenadiel said. He quickly filled her in on everything that happened.

“I guess that explains why he missed his last appointment,” Linda said before turning to Chloe. “Why did you do that? I know that it couldn’t have been easy for you to deal with finding out the truth, but to try to send him to Hell. What did he do to deserve that?”

“Nothing,” Chloe said quietly. “I was scared. I was looking for some kind of answer on what to do with what I saw. All I could think about was every story I’ve ever heard about the Devil. I forgot everything I knew about the real Lucifer. And suddenly there was someone there to feed into that fear. I made a terrible mistake. I would undo it if I could.”

Linda could see the guilt all over Chloe’s face. She knew she felt bad. Linda also felt she deserved that guilt. As a psychiatrist, Linda tried to have compassion, which she was trying to now, but that was clouded by the fact that she’d spent years helping Lucifer deal with his trust issues. Chloe helped a great deal with those issues, and now she’d destroyed every bit of progress they’d both made, to the point where Lucifer had to find a very unique way of hiding himself. “Do you know the damage you’ve done? He may not come back from this, Chloe. Even if he returns to his adult form, he may never recover from this betrayal. He trusted you more than anyone.”

“I know. I’m so sorry,” Chloe said guiltily.

“Linda, I asked you to come because I’m hoping you can help, Samael,” Amenadiel said, causing Linda to turn to him. “Things are much different than he’s used to them being. Humans weren’t even something Father had begun to think about when Samael was this age the first time, so he’s already confused. Soon, he’s going to have to go back to Heaven, where everyone he knows is much older than he remembers and where our mother no longer is.”

“Oh, boy,” Linda whispered. This was a complete disaster. Lucifer was essentially gone, and a little boy who couldn’t possibly understand what was happening to him was in his place. How was she supposed to begin to help him make sense of it? She barely made sense of it. “What exactly do you want me to do. Do you want me to tell him all of this? I can’t do that.”

“No. My father will tell him. We just want your help in getting him to understand, and maybe making it easier for him to accept. First, will you maybe talk to him for a few minutes?” Amenadiel asked.

Linda nodded after a second. “Alright, sure.”

“Samael, come here!” Amenadiel called.

Samael came out a moment later and walked over to his brother’s side.

“Samael, this is my friend Linda.”

Linda bent down slightly and extended her hand. “Hi, Samael.”

Samael frowned at the hand in front of him. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do with it? Why was this woman showing him her hand.

“Put your hand in hers and shake it. That’s how humans greet each other when they meet,” Amenadiel explained.

Samael did as his brother instructed. “Hello.”

Linda smiled and let go. “Your brother thought we could talk for a little bit. Are you okay with that?”

“Alright,” Samael said.

Linda led him to the couch and they sat down.

Chloe headed outside for air, knowing that Linda would need some time along with Samael. 

Amenadiel went out the other way. He knew he had to give them privacy, but he didn’t want to be anywhere near Chloe. 

“How old are you, Samael?” Linda asked.

Samael smiled proudly. “Nine centuries.”

Linda nodded. She guessed that was equal to years. He looked around nine. “Are you fleeing okay right now? Are you happy?”

“I guess so. I want to go home though. Dad keeps saying we can soon, but I want to go now,” Samael said.

“Do you not like it here?” Linda asked. 

“It’s alright for the most part. Trixie and Chloe are nice. There was one man that wasn’t. Dad had to fix my wing because the man hurt it,” Samael said.

“That can’t be a very good memory for you. Were you afraid? You had never been to this place before and then someone hurt you,” Linda said.

Samael nodded. “That man was mean. He was a bad creation, but I think my father got rid of him. He promised he couldn’t hurt me anymore.”

“You get along well with your dad?” Linda asked. She wanted to see if there was any animosity there. If there was, it might signal that a part of Lucifer was close to the surface. 

“Most of the time. Sometimes I misbehave and he punishes me. He punished me last night. I didn’t like that so much, but I love my dad. I want to see my mum though. I think she’s mad at me,” Samael said. His father had said she wasn’t, and he’d never lied to him before, but he thought his mother had to be angry with him. Why wouldn’t she come to see him otherwise.

Linda shuddered slightly just at the memory of the Goddess. The woman had nearly killed her without a care. But she certainly understood why Lucifer… Samael would want to see his mother. “Why do you think your mom’s angry with you? Do you think you did something wrong?”

“I don’t know. I think I might have, but I don’t know what it is,” Samael said. He felt like he did do something. He didn’t know why he thought that, but something made him think he’d done something to make his parents angry.

“I see.”

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Chloe was sitting outside on the porch when God suddenly appeared in front of her. She jumped up from her spot, both because she was startled and wanted a little bit more distance from the Creator of the Universe. She knew she was not his favorite person.

“My sons are inside, I assume,” God said.

“Samael is. I think Amenadiel went out back,” Chloe said. She’d heard the back door open. She assumed it was Amenadiel. “Linda came over and Amenadiel asked her to speak with him alone.”

“Good. That gives me the time to deal with you,” God said.

Chloe gulped and took a step back.

“I told you we weren’t finished,” God said.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t…”

“I don’t care,” God cut off coldly. He’d heard her apologize enough times. It didn’t make a difference to him. It meant absolutely nothing. “I don’t want to hear you apologize again. Your guilt is meaningless. It won’t help my son any.”

Chloe kept quiet. Apologies were all she could offer. If God didn’t want to hear it, there was nothing she could say. She could do nothing but listen to what he had to say to her and hope he would offer her some mercy, even if she didn’t deserve it.

“What you’ve done to my son will not go unpunished, Detective Decker.”

Chloe opened her mouth to say something.

“Don’t speak!” God said harshly. He didn’t raise his voice, but he made it clear that disobeying would be deadly. “I have half a mind to show you the same wrath I did your partner in crime. And if you had been the primary cause of what happened to him, I would’ve. Plus, it would hardly be fair for me leave your child without a mother because of your choices. After all, your daughter did nothing wrong. In fact, she has been more loyal to my son than you have.”

Chloe relaxed quite a bit. She wanted to thank him too, but she decided it wouldn’t be advisable to talk right now after he ordered her not to. 

“Oh, don’t make any mistake about it. As I said, you will be punished for what you did to my son. Hell was my second thought. Let your conscience do the work for me. I doubt your guilt would ever subside enough to grant you access to the Silver City, and even if it did, I could still ensure you went to Hell. But Lucifer wouldn’t want that, even after what you’ve done. I would like you to take a minute to let that realization sink in,” God said. He knew his son well enough that even if he didn’t forgive the detective, he wouldn’t want her to go to Hell.”

Chloe cringed. He was right. Lucifer wouldn’t have wanted her sent to Hell, and that made everything much worse. She betrayed him, and he would still care enough that he wouldn’t want her soul damned.

“Besides, it’s not good enough. Your soul would be so consumed by whatever torture you dream up for yourself that you wouldn’t even realize what was happening or why. I want you to know what it is your being punished for when the time comes. I want you to feel it for as deem it necessary. So, when you die, you will enter the Silver City, but it will be no Heaven for you. You won’t be reunited with your loved ones. You won’t have peace. You’ll be confined to a set of rooms and secluded. You will have no visitors unless I allow it, which I see no reason to. I believe you humans have something like this for punishment too. You call it Solitary Confinement. I hear it is almost like torture in itself,” God said coldly. 

Chloe swallowed. Basically, she would be imprisoned for crimes against a celestial. It was ironic considering she was a police detective. She was the one that usually put people away. Now she’d been sentenced to the same thing, only much longer. “For eternity?”

“We’ll say, yes, for now. Perhaps after a few centuries, I’ll be more forgiving, but I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you. Be grateful I’ve decided to show you mercy for the sake of my son and your daughter. I could’ve done much worse,” God said before walking inside without waiting for a response


	11. Chapter 11

When God walked into the house, he found his son sitting on the couch with the doctor. The boy immediately got up when he saw him.

Samael immediately ran to his father. "Dad."

God knelt down in front of his son and hugged him. "Hello, my boy. I trust you slept well the rest of the night."

Samael pulled away. "Why'd you leave?"

"I had something I had to take care of. I'm sure Amenadiel told you I'd be back, yes?" God asked.

Samael nodded. "Did you go home? Why couldn't I go with you?"

"Samael, I told you, I will take you home soon. You need to be patient, alright?" God asked.

"Okay," Samael said reluctantly.

"Thank you. I know it's difficult for you. I know you want to go home. You will not have to wait much longer," God assured him before rising to his feet.

Linda, meanwhile, was watching the scene in utter shock. She was standing in front of God, watching him parent. Needless to say, it was overwhelming. She had thought she met God once, but this was different. There was no doubt whatsoever that this being in front of her was God. Power radiated off of him with the way he carried himself.

God smiled and approached the shocked woman. He extending his hand in greetings. "Hello, Doctor Martin. It is wonderful to finally meet you."

Linda's body moved without her knowledge as her hand grasped his. She wasn't sure what to expect as she made physical contact with God, but it felt the same as shaking anyone else's hand.

God shook her hand and then released it. "I would like to thank you for everything you've done for my son, both my sons actually. You've done much for them. I must say, my faith in humanity was recently tested, but you help to remind me that not one or two do not define the whole of your species."

Linda blushed at the compliment. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't think of what she should say. What was she supposed to say to God?

Just then, Amenadiel came in through the back door. "Father, you're back. Did things go well?"

"As well as I expected them to," God said before turning to his younger son. "I want you to go change your clothes. Then come back and we'll talk."

"Okay. Do I have to wear a robe? I like the clothes here better," Samael said.

"No, I'll get you some clothes that people wear here, and you may continue to wear them when we get home if you like," God said. A bag appeared in his hand, which he handed off to his son. His children actually didn't wear the robes as much anymore. There were a few who did, like Amenadiel when he was in Heaven and a handful of others, but many, like himself, had chosen to adapt a human wardrobe.

Samael took the bag and ran from the room.

"Linda, you okay?" Amenadiel asked once his brother was gone.

"I…" Linda trailed off. She was having a hard time forming complete sentences right now.

"I can see how my presence might leave you a bit overwhelmed, but rest assured, there is no need to feel intimidated or anything of the sort. After all, you are giving me a grandchild. I would say that makes us family," God said kindly.

"Uh… Thank You," Linda said. It was all she could think to say right now. She was overwhelmed, and God's last declaration made her even more so. God saying they were family made her feel a bit light headed. She was related to God through her child. She'd never given it much thought before. She probably should've. She was carrying the grandchild of God himself. That left her in awe a bit.

"I would like to thank you. You were just speaking to my son. I thank you for trying to help him. Is there anything I need to know about the conversation?" God asked.

Linda pulled herself together. She did so by telling herself that Lucifer… Samael was a patient, and God was just a father who needed her help in helping his son. "He… He's confused. He doesn't understand what's going on around him or why he was hurt. He doesn't seem to remember anything consciously, but without breaking confidentiality, he has made comments that lead me to believe he has an idea that something big happened between him and his family."

Just then, Chloe walked in from outside, but was pretty much ignored.

"Yes, he made comments to me as well. Lucifer is still there somewhere, but I'm not sure if he's there enough to come back," God said.

"What do you think, Linda?" Amenadiel asked.

"I…I don't know. This situation is way above anything I've ever dealt with, and that includes everything I've dealt with since finding out the truth about you and Lucifer. I think your father's right that Lucifer is there somewhere, but I can't say whether it's enough to bring him back. If this really is Lucifer's doing, he has to want to come back. He may never want to," Linda said. She knew how close Lucifer was with Chloe. She knew how much her betrayal must have devastated him. She could see him deciding that he just didn't want to be around anymore.

"Doctor, this is something I could probably fix if I sought to. I've made the decision not to, as I think it's important to abide by Lucifer's wishes. Do you think I'm wrong?" God asked. He was mostly sure of his decision, but there was a part of him that was second guessing himself. He'd made so many mistakes with his son. He didn't want to do so again.

Linda thought about it and shook her head. "No. Like I said, this situation is not something I can even pretend to understand, but I don't think this is something that should be pushed, as it was the result of emotional trauma. I think Lucifer needs to decide for himself when and if he can come back."

"What if that doesn't happen though?" Amenadiel asked.

"Then it doesn't," Linda said sadly. She didn't like that thought either, but this should not be pushed. It would only make things worse.

"Thank you. This means that I'm going to have to tell my son things he won't understand, like his mother being gone and everyone around him growing when he's still so young. Do you have any advice?" God asked.

"I can only really help you with the first one. Divorce is very hard for children. It will be even harder for Samael because he can't see his mother. He's likely to blame himself, especially because he already feels that he's done something wrong. It's important for you let him know that he isn't to blame," Linda told him.

"Certainly. I'll not have him thinking it's his fault," God said.

Samael came back into the room a moment later. He'd changed into a pair of tan pants and a black polo shirt.

"Good, you're all changed. Let's sit down. We have to talk about some things," God said before leading him over to the couch and sitting him down next to him. "I have to tell you some things that are going to be very upsetting."

"Is it about Mum? Is it why she doesn't want to see me?" Samael asked.

"First of all, no one said your mother didn't want to see you. Your mother loves you," God said. Despite his personal distaste for his ex-wife, he knew she loved their children. It was why she ultimately decided to leave the dimension as Lucifer asked, but he also believed she didn't love them enough. She'd hurt them very much, especially Lucifer. She'd done him a lot of damage, and no, God wasn't one to talk, but his ex's hated of him clouded her and he wouldn't have that around his son. "I want you to understand that nothing I'm about to tell you is your fault. Some very strange things have happened, but you're not responsible for them. Do you understand?"

Samael nodded, but he was still skeptical. He felt like he had to have done something. If he hadn't, he would be home, or at least his mother would've come to see him like his father had.

"The first thing I need to tell you is that you've been away from home longer than you think you have," God said.

"How long?" Samael wondered.

"A very long time, and I've missed you very much," God said. That was true. Life without his son hadn't been well. He missed his mere presence, and he would never stop regretting his choice to send his son to Hell. He'd made that decision out of anger. He would do anything he could to make it right. "Your siblings have all changed since then. They have grown."

"Like Amenadiel?"

"Yes. They are all grown," he said.

Samael started to become frightened. His siblings were all older now, according to his father, but he wasn't. Why was that? And why didn't he remember all this time that had passed. His last memory of being home was just days ago.

God put an arm around his son and pulled him into his side. "It's alright, child. I know you're frightened, but everything is going to be okay."

"Everyone's older now, ever those younger than me?" Samael asked with no small amount of fear in his voice.

"Yes," God said.

Samael began to cry. "I want Mummy."

God held him tightly in his arms. "I know this very hard to understand. It's going to be alright, son. I'm not going to let anything bad happen. You will be okay."

"Why did everyone else grow and not me?" Samael asked in a shaky voice.

"It doesn't matter, child. What matters is that we will get through it. I'm going to take you home soon, and while I know it will be hard for him seeing everyone so different, it will be fine. I won't let anything harm you," God promised.

"I want my mum," Samael said again as he buried his head in his father's arms.

God glanced at the doctor, wondering if he should continue this. His son was very upset, and he wasn't sure if the boy could handle any more right now. On the other hand, he thought it might be best to get it all out now.

Linda nodded that he should continue.

Lucifer pulled his son out of his arms just a little bit. "I need you to look at me, Samael.

Samael rubbed his eyes and looked at his father. "You will be home by the end of the day, but your mother will not be there."

"Why?" he asked.

"I want you to remember what I said when we first started talking. Nothing that has happened is your fault. Your mother and I could no longer get along. It was decided that we wouldn't be together anymore. Now, your mother has a new world that is all hers," God explained to him.

"Sh...She's coming back, right?" Samael asked in a broken voice.

"No, Samael, she's not," God said as gently as he could.

"Why? What did I do?" Samael cried. His dad had told him it wasn't his fault, but it must have been. His mother had left him. He must have done something to make her hate him.

Chloe closed her eyes sadly as she heard the pain in this little boy's voice. It was all her fault. No, she didn't take his mother away, but she was the reason he couldn't understand why she was gone. He was the way he was because he couldn't handle her betrayal.

"No! I told you, this is not your fault. Your mother and I decided to separate because of ourselves, not you or any of your brothers and sisters. It was my decision for her to leave the Silver City, and for her not to see you children again," God said.

"Why?" Samael asked through his tears.

"Because it was what was best for you. I know that that's hard to understand, but you will one day. Your mother loves you very much, but she doesn't know how to do what's best for you. I think she even realized that herself in the end," God said.

"Is she okay?" he asked.

"Yes, she's fine. She's got her very own world now all to herself. I think she's very happy," God said.

"It's not fair. I want her," Samael cried.

"I know, son," God before pulling his son into his arms. He hated how much pain his son was in, but he would get him through it, and he would make sure life was different fro him this time. Samael would not go through the same pain again.


	12. Chapter 12

Trixie sat with Samael on the front step. He looked really upset, like he was going to cry. She'd actually heard him crying from her room earlier. She asked him what was wrong, and he told her that his mom had left his house. She knew what that was like. It had been really hard for her when her daddy left. "My mommy and daddy are divorced too."

Samael turned to look at her. "What's divorce?"

"It's when your mommy and daddy break up and don't live together anymore. I was sad when it happened. When Daddy first moved out, I asked if I made him leave. They used to fight about me a lot, because Daddy would break his promises to me sometimes," Trixie explained.

"What did your mum say?" Samael wondered.

"She said it wasn't my fault. Daddy said so too. They said it was adult problems between them," Trixie told him

"My dad told me the same thing," Samael said. He still wasn't sure he believed it though. His mum was gone. He wouldn't get to see her anymore. He had to have done something to make that happen. Maybe it had something to do with his dad telling him he was gone for so long and didn't get any bigger.

"Sometimes divorce is okay. I don't get to see Daddy every day, but he and Mommy don't fight as much anymore," Trixie said. She had been upset before, but now she felt like things were better now that her parents weren't together. They liked each other more.

"You still get to see your dad? My dad said I can't see my mum anymore," Samael said miserably.

Trixie's eyes widened. She knew that meant something big happened. "I think that means your mom must have done something really bad."

"What?" Samael asked.

"I have a friend whose parents are divorced. She can't see her dad anymore because he did something bad. He left her all alone at his house all night. Her mom got really mad and she wasn't allowed to go to her dad's anymore," Trixie explained.

Just then, the front door opened and God stepped into view. "Samael, come inside please."

Samael got up and walked over to his father. "Did Mum do something bad?"

"We can talk more about Mum later. I promise to answer any questions you have," God told him before putting a hand on his back and guiding him inside.

Trixie followed them in.

Amenadiel, Linda, and Chloe were all inside waiting. Amenadiel smiled at his little brother. "Hey, little brother. You okay?"

"I miss Mum," Samael mumbled.

"Me too. Just remember that she loves you, okay?" Amenadiel asked.

"Yes, it's very important for you to know that, my boy. No matter what problems are between your mother and I, we both love you very much," God told his son.

Samael nodded.

"Are you ready to go home?" God asked.

Samael shrugged. He wasn't as anxious to go home anymore. Not only was his mother gone, but all his siblings were different now. Everything would be different.

"You're leaving?" Trixie asked, sounding very unhappy.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Samael needs to be at home with us. I do appreciate what you've done for him. You've been a very good friend to him," God told the child.

"What about Lucifer?" Trixie asked.

God smiled. He shouldn't be surprised that the child had figured out that Samael was Lucifer. Children were very smart and perceptive. "I'm afraid that he won't be back for a while."

"I'll explain it to you later, Monkey," Chloe told her daughter.

"Who's Lucifer?" Samael wondered. It wasn't the first time he'd heard the name.

"It isn't important, son. Come. It's time to go," God said.

"Wait. Can I give him something first?" Trixie asked.

"Certainly," God said kindly.

Trixie ran off to her bedroom.

Meanwhile, Amenadiel turned to Linda. "Linda, I'm going to go just to help Samael settle in. I'll be back in a day or two."

"Of course," Linda said.

"You're not staying at home?" Samael asked, sounding not too happy.

Amenadiel knelt in front of him. "No, I can't stay, but I'm going to come visit you often, and I'm sure Father wouldn't mind me bringing you down here to visit."

"Certainly not. He can visit with you as often as you wish," God told his oldest.

"Why?" Samael asked, still unhappy with the arrangement. It wasn't fair. First he'd lost his mother and now his older brother would be gone most of the time too.

"I'll explain when we're back in the Silver City. Don't worry, I'll still be there for a little while," Amenadiel promised.

Linda walked up to the boy. "It was really good to know you, Samael. I hope to see you soon when your brother brings you to visit." It was almost like she was saying goodbye to both Samael and Lucifer. She had a feeling Lucifer wouldn't back, at least not in her lifetime.

Samael nodded.

Amenadiel rose to his feet and looked to his father. "Is this really it? What about her?" he asked as he looked over at Chloe and glared.

"Oh, no need to worry, my son. Detective Decker and I have an understanding, isn't that right, Detective. We will see each other again soon," God said with a bit of a threatening tone to his voice.

Chloe gulped at the reminder of her eternal fate and nodded.

Trixie soon came back with a black, stuffed dog in her hands. She immediately held it out for Samael. "This is for you."

Samael took the offered object. It was soft and fluffy. He found he liked it, but didn't know why. "What is it?"

"It's a stuffed animal. My grandma gave it to me for my birthday a couple years ago. I don't really do much with it. I have Miss Alien to keep me company. I thought you'd like it," Trixie said.

"What's its purpose?" Samael asked as he looked it over.

"It's a toy. You hug it when you feel lonely or scared. I know you feel real bad because you miss your mom, and you're scared because everything's different for you. He can make you feel better," Trixie said.

Samael wasn't sure he understood, but he did like the object. He liked the way it felt when he touched it. "Oh. Thank you."

"Yes, thank you, Trixie. It was very kind of you to give him that," God told her. He'd of course prepared for his son's arrival when he went back to Heaven, such as providing him with human toys, including a few stuffed animals, but it meant more when you were given something by a friend."

Trixie hugged Samael briefly. "I'll miss you. We'll always be friends."

"Thanks," Samael said before turning to Chloe. "Bye, Chloe. Thank you for saving me."

Chloe tried to smile, but she was sure it seemed more like a cringe. The fact that he was thanking her when she was the reason for all his pain was like a blow to the stomach. "Bye, Samael."

Samael walked over to his father.

God picked his son up and disappeared with him.

Amenadiel followed his father.

Chloe stared at the spot where the child version of her partner had disappeared from.

"Mommy, are you okay? I'm gonna miss him too. Samael and Lucifer," Trixie said sadly.

Chloe tried to smile for her daughter. "Uh, you should go get your stuff ready, Monkey. You're gonna go to Daddy's for the night soon."

Trixie nodded and left the room.

"He's gone," Chloe said quietly.

Linda could tell she wasn't talking about Samael, or not just him anyway. She was in pain over losing Lucifer. Linda was having a hard time feeling bad for her though. Chloe's betrayal had caused this. Lucifer was gone because the one person he'd trusted the most had turned on him. "Isn't this what you wanted, Chloe? You wanted him gone?"

I...I wanted to stop being afraid," Chloe said. she got what she wanted too. she wasn't afraid anymore, not of Lucifer anyway. Now, it was the little boy in his place that was afraid.

Linda sighed. "I get the fear that seeing that face brings, Chloe, but you took it too far. You completely betrayed his trust. He loved you. You were the first woman he saw as more than a one night fling."

Chloe closed her eyes as tears sprung from them. "I don't know what to do. He's gone now."

"Yes, he is. There's nothing you can do. You're just going to have to live with this," Linda said before walking past her and out the door.


	13. Chapter 13

God arrived with Samael in the middle of his living room in his rooms and placed the boy on the ground. He’d decided that it was best to take his son straight home rather than arrive with him in the middle of the city, where Samael would encounter adult siblings that were essentially strangers to him. He was scared and overwhelmed as it was. It was best to take this step by step. “Welcome home, son.”

Amenadiel arrived moments later.

Samael looked around. He immediately recognized his home, but it was different than he remembered. They looked much like things had at Chloe’s home, and the place he’d first woken up at when he met Chloe. There was a sitting area with large objects he’d learned were couches. There were two of them, both dark blue, and there was a table in between them. 

God place his hand on his son’s shoulder. “Are you alright, Samael?”

“Things are different,” Samael said. He didn’t like how different everything was. It was weird how different things were even before he was returned to the Silver City, but it was worse now. Even his home had changed.

God crouched down next to him. “Yes, it is. I’ve changed things a little. Humans have their own way of decorating their homes, and I’ve found I like it, so I’ve chosen to change some things. But these changes don’t have to be bad, do they?”

“I don’t like that so much is different,” Samael said quietly.

God rubbed his back. “I know, but this is still your home. That hasn’t and won’t change. I think you’ll like the changes once you get used to them. It’s just hard for you now because it’s a bit overwhelming. I understand. It will be alright. Would you like to see your room?”

“Is it different too?” Samael asked.

“Yes, but I think you’ll like it anyway,” God said.

Samael didn’t seem too happy, but he nodded anyway.

God stood up and led his son out of the room and down a long hallway with many doors. He stopped at the second to last door on the left and led his son inside.

Samael looked around his room. He found that it was much different, but that it looked nice. It was kind of colorful, the walls were done in blue with white stars on them. Well, he thought they were stars anyway. It looked like the objects he’d seen in the sky. Amenadiel told him they were stars.

Samael found a bed in the middle of the room that looked very comfortable. It had some soft toys, like the one Trixie gave him that was still in his hand. Next to it, there was a small table at the right. Up against the left wall, there was what he’d learned was called a dresser. Trixie had one. She said it was where she kept her clothes. To the right, there was a large structure with a chair that fit nicely in front of it. He didn’t know what the structure was, but it had paper, as well as crayons and other writing instruments. 

God saw his sons confusion when he caught a glimpse of the desk. “That is called a desk. I have one too, but mine’s bigger. You can use it to draw or write something.”

“Or color. I know you were enjoying that with Trixie,” Amenadiel said.

Samael put the soft toy Trixie gave him on the bed and continued to look around. Right across from his bed, a blue, also rectangular object laid, only this one was much smaller. “What’s that?”

God grinned and led his son over to it. “Come see. I think you’ll like this addition to your room the best.”

Samael watched as his father opened the lid, then he peered inside. There were all sorts of things inside, most colored brightly. Samael picked up a small box with an image colored squared objects on it. “What’s this?”

“They’re called Legos. You use them to build things,” God told him.

“Like what?” Samael asked curiously. 

“Anything you want.”

Samael put it down and picked up another object. It was a car, which he’d learned of when Chloe took him to her house, but it was much smaller. There was also some sort of square, black device that came with it. “This is very small. No one could fit in this. Isn’t a car used to transport those without wings.

Amenadiel chuckled. “Yes, but this is a toy. It’s for kids to have fun with. This is pretty cool too. Want me to show you how it works?”

Samael nodded and handed him the toy.

“Amenadiel, I’m curious, how do you know how it works?” God asked with an amused look on his face. 

Amenadiel smiled sheepishly. “I went to a mall with Linda once. I got lost and ended up in a toy store. They have some very interesting things there.”

God laughed as he pictured his grown, warrior son playing with children’s toys. “Indeed.

Amenadiel put the car on the floor and started playing with the knobs on the remote. The car immediately sped across the room and hit the wall.

Samael’s mouth opened in surprise. “Whoa! How’d you do that? It moved by itself!”

Amenadiel knelt down and showed his brother the remote. See these two knobs. You just have to move them around to get the car to move. You wanna try?”

Samael nodded and took the object from his brother. 

“Move them back towards you,” Amenadiel instructed. 

Samael did so and the car came racing towards him. He laughed. “That’s great!”

God smiled at the look on his son’s face. For the moment anyway, he was happy. 

“All you have to do is move those in the direction you want the car to go in,” Amenadiel said.

God soon heard someone enter his quarters. Apparently, one of his children had realized he’d returned and got curious. He walked out of his son’s room and walked back out towards the living room. When he reached it, he found Michael and Raphael waiting. “Hello, boys.”

“Dad, we felt that you’d returned. We were curious. I hope it’s okay that we’re here,” Raphael said.

“You know you’re always welcome, Raphael, though I did hope for a little time to get your brother settled in first,” God said.

“He’s here then?” Michael asked.

“Yes, he’s with Amenadiel in his room,” God said.

“Does he know?” Michael wondered. 

“He knows very little. He knows that you are all much older than him, but he doesn’t know how it happened. It’s all very confusing and very frightening to him,” God told them.

“Does he know about the things that have happened since he was this age the first time? Like Mom and Uriel?” Raphael asked.

God stiffened at the mention of his dead son. It was still something that grieved him, and it always would be. However, he didn’t blame Lucifer for it. He’d done it to protect those he cared about. Unfortunately, Uriel had been out of control and left his brother little choice. “He knows about your mother. He does not know about Uriel. I will tell him that Uriel died another day. He’s had enough for now. However, he will never, ever, be told the circumstances surrounding Uriel’s death.”

Both angels nodded. They heard the sharp tone in their father’s voice. They knew that he was promising dire consequences for anyone that went against him on the matter.

Soon, they all heard laughing. Samael and Amenadiel came into view seconds later. Samael was playing with his car.

“Hello, son. I see you like your car. Have you even looked at your other toys?” God asked amused.

Samael didn’t answer. He saw the other two and stepped closer to Amenadiel. He knew they were his siblings, and he was even pretty sure of which ones, but they were much older now, and neither had been very nice to him before. Well, Raphael was okay. He wasn’t really mean, but he didn’t like to play with him either. Michael was mean. He’d tease him all the time. Samael feared it would be even worse now that Michael was so much bigger than him. Plus, it was just really weird for everyone to be so much bigger than him. Just Amenadiel was alright, he supposed, but now they were all bigger than he remembered.

“Wow,” Raphael whispered as he looked at the boy.

Michael stared at his little brother as well. He looked exactly as he was the last time he was a child. Michael had been told he would, but it was almost like it wasn’t really true in his mind until he actually saw him. 

“Everything’s alright, Samael. Say hello to Michael and Raphael,” God said to his youngest. 

“Hi,” he said.

“Hey, Samael. It’s good to see you,” Raphael said. It was the only thing he could think to say to the boy right now. 

“Hey, little brother. What’s this you’re messing around with?” Michael asked as he pointed to the car on the floor. 

“It… It’s a toy. It’s fun,” Samael said.

Michael could hear the uncertainty in his brother’s voice, and he could see the fear in his eyes. The whole situation clearly had the boy frightened, and that wasn’t something he knew his brother to be in a long time. This child was definitely different than man he’d become. While Michael had already made the decision that he wouldn’t show any resentment towards Samael for the rebellion, he now realized that he shouldn’t even have any. For all intents and purposes, this boy was an entirely different person than the man who’d disobeyed. “It does look fun. Would you show me how it works?”

Everyone except for God looked at Michael in disbelief. God, on the other hand, looked at his son with pride. Michael was doing exactly as he asked. He had accepted Samael without resentment. Perhaps his example would help with his siblings. 

“You want to play with me?” Samael asked in disbelief. Michael never played with him. He didn’t like him at all and had made that no secret. Yet, now, he was being rather nice. 

Michael cringed at the surprise in his brother’s face. It was justified. He’d never been nice to his brother. In his defense, he was a kid too. He was fifteen-centuries-old. He was jealous of the attention the younger kids, especially Samael, received from their parents. But he wasn’t a child anymore. He no longer felt that same resentment, and even if he did, he was not going to take it out on someone so much younger than him. “Yes. It seems like an enjoyable activity.”

Samael smiled and began telling his brother about the toy car and how it worked. He reveled in having this particular brother’s attention for the first time ever.


	14. Chapter 14

Amenadiel entered his father's quarters the next morning looking none too pleased. He'd just spoken to several of his siblings, and most of them had not one good thing to say regarding Samael. There were a few who were open minded and even happy about his return, but most were at least reluctant to be around him. Others were downright nasty. Amenadiel feared how his brother was going to fair.

God had just entered the living room when his oldest came in. He noticed his son's sour mood immediately. "Are you alright, son?"

"I was visiting with some of the others. Father, they're not going to treat Samael well. Not most of them anyway," Amenadiel said.

"Yes, they will," God said firmly. He wouldn't allow anything else. He'd made himself very clear in regard to how Samael was to be treated. If any of his children went against that, they would face the consequences.

Amenadiel shook his head. "Even if most of them hold their tongues over your orders, they will still show him they don't want him here, even if they aren't trying. He's going to pick up on it."

"Amenadiel, did you see the way Michael and Raphael reacted to him? Did you think that would ever happen?" God asked.

"No," Amenadiel admitted. Raphael, he was less surprised by. Raphael was mild tempered, and he got along with their younger brother for the most part. They weren't exactly friendly growing up or as adult, but they were fine with each other. Michael was another matter entirely. Michael never had much patience for Samael. He was jealous of him, which Amenadiel could understand to a point, but he always took it out on the younger angel. It was a little better when they were both grown, but then the rebellion happened, and Michael was one of the first to lash out at their younger brother. So, yes, it was very shocking that he treated Samael so gently last night.

"Michael sat here and played with Samael for over an hour. He knew he had to treat Samael kindly, and he agreed to that, but all it took was a couple minutes for Samael to wrap him around his finger. As an adult, he just could not withstand your brother's innocence and cuteness," God said with a smile.

"You're saying you think that will happen with the others," Amenadiel realized.

God nodded. "I have faith in your little brother."

Just then, they both heard footsteps.

God turned to see his son come out. "Good morning, Samael. Did you sleep well in your new bed."

"Uh huh. I like it. It was really comfortable," Samael said.

"I'm glad to hear that. Are you ready for breakfast?" God asked.

Samael nodded.

"Come on then," God said before leading the way into the kitchen. He waved his hand and the table was filled with several different breakfast foods. The three of them then sat down to breakfast.

"What's that?" Samael asked as he pointed to a white object that had some brown on the top.

"That's an English muffin. They're very good. Try one," God encouraged him.

"Okay," Samael said before taking one and tentatively taking a bite. He hummed in delight and took another bite.

"How long do you plan on staying, Amenadiel," God asked.

"Uh, I'm actually going to head back soon, probably right after breakfast," Amenadiel said. He had technically only been in Heaven a day, but on Earth, it was longer. He didn't want to be away from Linda for too long.

"Why do you have to leave?" Samael asked with a pout.

"Hey, I told you, I'm gonna come back to see you. I won't be gone for long," Amenadiel promised him.

"But why do you have to leave at all?" he asked.

"Because I have a family on Earth now," Amenadiel told him.

"We're your family," Samael argued.

"Yes, of course, you are, but I have more other family now too," Amenadiel said.

"Your brother has people on Earth that he cares very much for. He wants to spend time with them too. He's happy on Earth. We ought to be happy for him," God said to his son.

"But I don't want him to leave. I'll miss him," Samael said sadly.

"I'll miss you too, little brother, but I will be around often. I need to be on Earth mainly though. I'm about to have a child who will need me. That means you'll be an uncle," Amenadiel told him.

"What's an uncle?" Samael asked.

"It's what you become when your brother or sister has a son or daughter. You'll be my baby's uncle. That means you'll have to help me look out for him. Do you think you can?" Amenadiel asked.

"I can try. How can you be having a child? I thought only Mum and Dad could do that. How does it work?" Samael asked.

God chuckled. "That's a question for another day. Listen, I know you're going to miss your brother. I will too, but we want him to be happy, right?"

Samael nodded.

"That's my boy," God said as he rubbed his back for a second.

They all returned to their food, making small talk as they ate. Soon enough, they were finished. Amenadiel stayed a bit longer, playing and talking with Samael for a good hour in the living room. He then decided it was time for him to go. He hugged his little brother goodbye. "I'll be back soon, maybe in a couple of weeks."

"You swear you'll come visit?" Samael asked.

"Yes," he said.

"I will hold you to that promise as well, son. I expect to see you often. And of course, I hope you will bring my grandson to meet me after he is born," God said.

"Of course, Father," Amenadiel said before hugging his father briefly. He said another goodbye to them both and then flew away.

God turned to his now youngest child. "Are you doing alright, child? Would you like to talk a little bit?"

Samael nodded. "I want to talk about Mum. You said we could."

"You're right, I did. Let's go sit down on the couch," God said.

Samael ran over and got on the couch. His father sat as well and pulled him into his arms to cuddle him.

"Oh, I missed cuddling you like this," God said before giving him a gentle squeeze. It had been a very long time since his children were young enough for him hold like this, and when they were, he was ashamed to say that he didn't utilize the chance as much as he could've. Well, he'd make sure he didn't make that mistake this time.. "Go ahead. Ask me whatever you wish."

"Trixie said that if I can't see Mum, it means she did something bad. Did she? Samael asked.

"What did she do?" Samael asked.

"We can talk about that when you're older. It's not important for you to know right now," God said. Samael was too young to understand any of it now. Telling him would likely just confuse him and alienate him his mother. As angry as God was at her, he would not do that, despite the fact that she'd done it to him. It would only hurt his son.

"Yes, it is. You made her leave because of it," Samael argued.

"I made her leave because it was best for everybody that she not be here, and, yes, it has to do with what she did, but it was also because we weren't happy living together anymore. Everyone else was very upset about it. Something had to be done," God said.

"But why can't I know what she did wrong. If it's why I can't see her, shouldn't I know?" Samael asked.

God sighed. He had to admit that the boy had a point, but he couldn't go into details. His son just wouldn't understand. He had to tell him something though. "Alright, you make a fair point. Your mother and I were very angry with each other. Your mother was so angry that she took it out on others."

"Did she hurt anyone?" Samael asked.

"If you mean cause harm to you or your siblings, no, but your siblings were hurt by us fighting. Sometimes you can hurt people without meaning to. Your mother was doing that a lot and she couldn't seem to stop," God explained. It was a very mellow version of what happened, but his son wouldn't understand any more than that right now. Nor should he have the full version in his young mind.

"Why was Mum so angry?" Samael wanted to know.

"She had a lot of things she was angry about, and she was right to be angry for many of those reasons. Things just weren't good between us anymore, and we ignored that for too long," God said.

"Do you hate her?" he asked.

"No, I don't. We weren't happy together, and I was angry with her, but I do not hate her," God assured him.

"Do I have to be mad at her because you are?" Samael asked in worried voice.

"Absolutely not. What happened between your mother is not your problem, nor your siblings. I would never expect you to stop loving your mother," God said.

Samael was relieved to hear that. He loved his mother. He didn't want to stop, but he didn't want his father to be angry with him. "I can never see her again?"

"When you're older, if you still want to see your mum, I will make it happen, but right now, it's best that you don't," God said.

"What if I don't get older?" Samael asked.

"What are you talking about? Of course you will," God said.

"But I haven't yet. Why have I stayed the same age while everyone else grew up?" Samael asked. That scared him. He was scared he'd be the same age forever. He didn't want that.

God knew he was going to have to explain this a bit more. He didn't want his son thinking he'd be this age forever. The trouble was that this concept was a bit over a child's head. "You did grow up. You just don't remember it. At some point you decided you wanted to be little again," God said.

"Why?" Samael asked. That sounded stupid to him. Why would he want go from fully grown to a child again? You got to do so much more when you were bigger.

"It's hard to understand, but you just wanted to start over, I think. I don't think that's so bad, is it?" God asked.

"Can't you fix it?"

"There's nothing to fix. There's nothing wrong with you, and I think you'll be happier this way, which is all I want for you," God told him.

"This is weird," Samael said.

"I know, but it doesn't have to be bad, right?"

Samael supposed it wasn't. He didn't really remember being grown anyway, so it didn't seem like much was wrong. It was just strange seeing everyone so grown. One of the biggest things he was afraid of was that something was wrong with him and he wouldn't grow up, but his dad said that wasn't true. "I guess not. You're sure I'll grow up again, Dad."

"Yes, my boy. You won't be this age forever. Do you have any more questions for me?"

"Do you have to work soon?" Samael asked. His dad created everything, so he worked a lot. Samael knew it was important, but he wished he could spend more time with him.

"I think any work I have will keep for the day. I think you and I should spend the day together," God said. too often, he'd let his work get in the way of spending time with his children. He wasn't going to make mistake again. He had a second chance. He wouldn't waste it.

"Really?" Samael asked hopefully.

"Yes. what would you like to do?"

"Can we just sit like this for a while?" Samael asked.

"I think that sounds perfect," God said as he continued to hold his son in his arms, running a hand gently through his hair locks.


	15. Chapter 15

Samael was bored. His father was working, so there was no one to entertain him. He was currently trying to figure out one of the things his father had bought for him, but it was confusing to him. It came in a box with a picture on it and said it was some sort of puzzle, but all that was inside were a bunch of misshaped, objects. He reckoned it had to be broken. 

Samael supposed he couldn’t complain too much. His actually spent quite a bit of time with him, much more than in the past. He sat down to every meal with him, he played with him for a couple of hours before bed, and he tucked him in every night. It was great. He was just still bored sometimes in between that.

Samael soon heard a door open in close. He looked up to see a woman enter with dark hair enter and smile at him.

“Hey, Samael. Wow,” the young woman said as she stared at him in awe.

“Who are you?” Samael asked. He knew she had to be his sister, but he couldn’t figure out which one. 

“I’m your sister, Azrael,” she said as she stared at him. It was so weird for him to see her brother this way. She didn’t have real experience with him when he was this young. She’d been the equivalent of a toddler at the time, barely two centuries. She didn’t really remember him at this age.

Samael gasped a little. Azrael was his youngest sibling. She was seven centuries younger than him. Now, she was so much bigger than him. It wasn’t right. He was her older brother. It wasn’t right that now he was smaller. It was strange with his older siblings as well, but at least they had already been older than him.

Azrael saw her brother become visibly upset. It broke her heart. Her big brother had always had this way of tearing your heart apart with just one devastated look. “Hey, it’s okay. I know this is hard to deal with.”

“It’s not fair. You’re not supposed to be bigger than me. Everything’s weird. Dad said I grew up, but then got small again. It’s really weird,” Samael said. 

Azrael nodded sadly. “I know. It’s strange for me too. I’m used to you being bigger than me too. You know, you were my favorite older brother.”

“Really?” Samael asked. 

“Yeah, I loved spending time with you. You always made time to hang out with me, even though I was much younger than you,” Azrael told him. She’d missed her brother a lot when he was gone. She still missed him because as he was now, a part of him was gone. She hoped he came back, but at the same time didn’t. She wanted Lucifer back, but she also wondered if he wasn’t better off this way. He wasn’t in pain now. He was just a happy kid.

Samael smiled marveling in the knowledge that he’d been Azrael’s favorite. He’d never been a younger sibling’s favorite before. That title usually went to Amenadiel or one of the others. Samael’s own favorites had been Amenadiel and Gabriel. He looked up to Amenadiel, but he was actually able to play more with Gabriel.

“I’ve got something for you,” Azrael said as she pulled a wrapped package from her robe and handed it to her brother.

Samael stared at the object. It was a square object with some sort of colored, flimsy paper. “I don’t understand. What is it?”

“Oh, you have to take the paper off first. You can just rip it off by the flap in the corner,” Azrael said as she pointed to where she was talking about.

Samael followed her instructions and began ripping the paper off. Once he was done, he was looking at a box with an image of a child playing with some sort of device he’d never seen. “I still don’t understand.”

“It’s a video game. Come on. I’ve never used one before, but I’ve been told some stuff. Maybe I can help you figure it out,” Azrael said before leading her brother to the couch. They sat down and Azrael opened the box and began fiddling with the game she’d gotten her brother. It took her a little bit, but she managed to make it work. It helped that Ella, who picked it up for her after she told her she wanted to get something for a little boy who’d been through a lot, helped explain it to her.

“That’s neat,” Samael said. He watched as his sister played some sort of game that involved a person hitting a ball on the screen.

“Here, you can give it a try now,” Azrael said before handing the game over to her brother, who immediately became engrossed in the device.

Just then, God came into view. “Oh, hello, my daughter. It’s good to see you.”

“Hey, Dad,” Azrael said with a smile. She stood up and the two of them hugged for a minute before she sat back down.

“I see your sister has given you a gift, Samael. Have you thanked her?” God asked his son.

“Thank you, Rae-Rae. Oh, do you like that nickname?” Samael asked. His mother had been the one to give her the nickname after she was born, and they all called her that, but he didn’t want to if she didn’t like it.

“Of course. It’s awesome,” Azrael said.

“I assume you got your hands on this device with the help of a human friend. How is Miss Lopez?” God asked his daughter.

Azrael cringed and looked at her father like a deer caught in the headlights. She wasn’t supposed to be around humans that weren’t already dead. “Right. Um, I know I’m supposed to…”

“Relax, my dear. I’m not upset. How can I be when you’re hardly the only one to make human friends? Although, in the future, you might want to remember that trying to pull one over on me is rarely successful,” God said in an amused tone.

Azrael blushed a little.

Samael turned away from his game to look at his father. “Dad, can we go out?”

“Not today, son. I have to get back to work right now. After dinner though, you and I can play a game or something,” God promised. He made sure to put time aside to spend time with his son. He was not going to waste time when he’d been given a second chance. He still had to work, but he was going to make sure his son knew that he was there for him too.

“Can I go by myself?” Samael asked.

“Absolutely not. I won’t have you roaming the City alone,” God said firmly. In the past, he’d have allowed it because it wasn’t as if there was a risk of him getting hurt, as he knew everyone, but things were different now. First, God was worried his son would get lost. The place was much bigger than Samael remembered, with human souls around as well. They likely wouldn’t bother him, but it was still something very knew for the boy. Second, God didn’t want to chance the reception the boy would get from many of his siblings without him there. God believed his children would come around, but it wouldn’t happen in one night. 

“Why not?” Samael asked. He didn’t understand. He’d always been allowed to venture through the Silver City as he pleased before. Why wouldn’t he be allowed now. 

“Because many things have changed since you last remember. I don’t want you to get lost. I’ll tell you what. Tomorrow, I will take you out for a walk. Alright?” God asked. He had been stalling thus far, trying to protect his son from the reactions of his other children. He knew he couldn’t do that any longer. Samael was going to have to leave sometime. Plus, he was obviously feeling cooped up. 

“Okay,” Samael relented.

“I know you’re pretty bored during the day. You don’t have to worry about that for much longer. You’re going to resume your lessons soon, with some new ones added,” God said. Samael needed to continue his education. There was much about the world he didn’t understand. It was time to begin teaching him.

Samael’s face fell at the idea. “That’s okay, Dad. I’m not that bored.”

Azrael laughed. She had never been much of a fan of school either.

God smiled. “Nice try, son. You need to continue your education. It won’t be so bad. Learning can be fun.”

“Who’s teaching me? Is it gonna be Michael?” Samael asked.

“Him and likely Raphael,” God said. They were the most logical. Both were very good with education, and they’d both responded will to Samael’s return.

“But Michael’s a bad teacher. He gets mean,” Samael complained.

“Hey, I know Michael hasn’t been the nicest to you in the past, but he’s been very kind lately, hasn’t he?” God asked.

Samael nodded. Michael had come over to see him a few times and he’d been very nice. He even played with him. Samael was just worried it wouldn’t last. Maybe he was only being nice because their father was there.

“So, I think you should give him another chance,” God said.

“Okay,” Samael said. He decided he could try. Maybe Michael would be nicer now, even when his dad wasn’t there. Samael was still going to be careful in case it was a trick. “When do I start?”

“I’m not sure yet, but probably in a few days,” God said before turning back to his daughter. “I trust someone’s covering your post.”

“Yeah, Remiel,” Azrael said.

“Now, is that wise?” God asked. He loved his older daughter very much, but he aware of her flaws. She was not a people person. She did not do will with gentleness, which those who had passed could really use.

“Probably not, but she was the only one who could do it, and I wanted to spend time with Samael,” Azrael said.

“Very well. I can of course understand that. I’m of course happy to have you any time. I have to get back to work, but I want you to come say goodbye before you leave,” God said.

“I will, Dad,” Azrael promised.

God headed back to his office and left brother and sister to get to know each other.


	16. Chapter 16

Samael walked with his father through the Silver City. He had been excited to go out, but now he was less so. There were so many people, his siblings, who all looked different. Most of them he recognized some of them, but many of them had changed so much that he couldn’t figure out who they were. Plus, many of them looked at him strangely. Also, some parts of his home had changed.

“Are you alright, child?” God asked his son. He noticed the uneasy look on his son’s face.

Samael pointed to a building ha hadn’t seen before as they walked. “That wasn’t there before. A lot of things weren’t.”

“That’s true. I told you, I changed some things. That’s why I didn’t want you coming out by yourself,” God said.

Samael noticed another of his siblings staring at him as they passed by. “Is everyone looking at me because I’m so much smaller than them?”

God sighed. That wasn’t the only reason they were staring at him. Many were angry. He’d  
Made it clear that they weren’t to treat Samael badly, but he couldn’t control how they felt. He could only hope they’d come around. “They are as confused as you are, but we will all get through this, alright?”

Samael nodded, but he still looked uncomfortable. 

“Would you like to go back?” God asked. He didn’t want his son overwhelmed. Perhaps they should wait a little longer before reintroducing him any further with the Silver City.

Before the boy could respond, another voice was heard. “Hey, little brother.”

Samael turned to see Michael with a few others behind him. “Hi, Michael.”

“It’s good to see you out. I was going to come see you later,” Michael said. He was trying to make an effort to get to know his little brother. It took Samael being deaged to realize it, but he never really took the time to know him before. He saw this as an opportunity to fix that.

“Why? Why have you been so nice?” Samael asked. He knew he was supposed to give Michael another chance, and he really wanted to believe Michael would keep being nice to him, but it was hard to believe when he remembered Michael being mean not too long ago. It made him feel like it was a trick.

“Samael, I thought we had a conversation about this,” God said in a slight warning tone. He could understand why his son was skeptical, but he believed Michael deserved a second chance, especially considering how kind he’d been.

“It’s okay, Dad. I understand his skepticism,” Michael said before crouching down in front of his brother. “I know I haven’t been very nice to you before. I’m really sorry for that. I’m hoping you’ll let me try to make it up to you.”

“Dad says to give you another chance, but maybe you’re trying to trick me or him. Maybe you’re only being nice because he’s here,” Samael said suspiciously.

Again, Michael could understand his brother’s skepticism. To him, Michael’s demeanor had changed in an instant. To him, it hadn’t been centuries since they’d seen each other. Although, an adult Samael would likely be suspicious too. They didn’t really get along as adults either. “I’m not trying to trick anyone, but I can see why you’d think that. Would you give me a chance to prove that it isn’t true?”

“How?” Samael asked.

“Well, it’s not something I think I can do all at once, but I think if we spend more time together, you’ll see that I’ve changed. I’ve heard you can fly now. If Dad agrees, maybe you can show me later, and maybe I can teach you some tricks,” Michael said with a smile.

“Of course, you can take him flying, but no tricks. He’s just learned how to fly,” God said.

“Okay,” Samael said to Michael. He did want to show off his new skill a bit.

One of the angels behind Michael approached. He had dirty blonde hair and green eyes. “Hey, little bro. You remember your favorite big brother, right?”

Samael smiled. He knew who this was just from that question alone. He always tried to make himself Samael’s favorite. “You’re not my favorite, Manuel. Amenadiel is.”

Manuel brought his hand to his chest in feigned hurt. “That’s so mean. How can you choose the dullest of our siblings for your favorite? I’m much better than him.”

Samael laughed for a minute, but his face soon fell. “You’re different now. You’re a lot bigger. Does that mean we can’t be friends anymore?”

Manuel knelt down next to him. “Of course not. It doesn’t matter how much either of us has changed. I’ll always be around for you.” He only wished he’d stuck to that when his brother rebelled. It was just that had a hard time understanding what Samael wanted to much. He couldn’t understand why he was unhappy and felt the need to rebel against their father. “I’m sorry I haven’t come to see you yet. I was trying to let you adjust to the changes you’d already seen first.”

Samael nodded that he understood. He then turned his attention to the final angel nearby. His hair was a lighter shade of blonde than Manuel’s, and they had the same color eyes. Samael was pretty sure he knew who it was. He and Manuel always looked kind of alike. “Gabriel?”

“What?” Gabriel asked somewhat coldly.

“Gabriel,” God warned.

“Are you mad at me? What did I do wrong?” Samael asked. His brother sounded really annoyed and angry with him. He didn’t understand why. He and Gabriel hardly ever fought. They were friends. He must have done something to make his brother angry.

“Nothing, child. Do not pay any attention to your brother right now,” God said before leveling a glare towards Gabriel, making it very clear that he wasn’t happy with him.

“Yeah, don’t mind him, pal. He’s just grumpy today,” Manuel said with a smile before standing up straight.

Samael looked at Gabriel, who still seemed really angry with him and was glaring. He then looked back at his father. “Can we go back now?”

“Yes, of course. Come,” God said before placing a hand on his back and gently leading him back towards his quarters.

Michael turned and glared at his younger brother. “What’s wrong with you? You’d be so cruel to a child?”

“What’s wrong with me? The display you just showed was pathetic! You of all people were catering to that little bastard. Groveling before him like a servant,” Gabriel said disgustedly.

“I was asking forgiveness to someone I’d wronged. I was talking to him the way I should’ve always talked to him, like my little brother. I have no interest in bullying him anymore. Forget the fact that it’s wrong by itself for a minute, he is probably scared enough,” Michael said. 

“Oh, yes, poor, Samael,” Gabriel taunted. “He’s the damn Devil! Stop treating him like he’s a defenseless kid!”

“Gabriel, he is a defenseless kid. He’s just a little boy. What happened to you? There was a time when you never would’ve thought of treating him this way. You and I were the ones who defended him when Michael was the one being an asshole,” Manuel said.

“Well, Michael was right, wasn’t he? Too bad he can’t see it now,” Gabriel said.

“No, I wasn’t. I was an angry kid who went after a younger sibling because he had Mom and Dad’s attention, just like you are now. We both know this is jealously and nothing more. You got pissed because Dad began seeking his help with the stars when he was older. The difference is that I was a kid bullying another kid. It was wrong, but I was young. You don’t have that excuse,” Michael said.

“Don’t give me that! You felt the same way I did until the little runt came back,” Gabriel said.

“Yeah, I justified what I did because of his rebellion, but that all changed when I saw him. It’s a lot different looking at an innocent little boy when you’re no longer a boy yourself. I saw how I really was to him for the first time, and I was forced to wonder just how big a role my treatment of him might have played in how things turned out,” Michael said. He’d been thinking about that since Samael returned. He didn’t want to believe he was part of the cause for his brother’s rebellion, and he knew he wasn’t the only cause, but he couldn’t help but think about it. “Have you considered how your turning against him might have figured into it?”

“I certainly have,” Manuel said.

Gabriel scoffed in response. “I’m not responsible for that asshole’s mistakes, and I’m not going to start worshipping him like you do.”

“Well, you better damn well learn to be kind to him. Dad’s not gonna put up with you being anything else, and I won’t allow it either,” Michael said strongly before heading off in the other direction. 

“Hey! What are you gonna do when the bastard wakes up as an adult and remembers exactly who is, assuming it’s not all a game he’s playing?” Gabriel asked.

Michael turned back to him. “I’ll hope he also remembers how different things were to him this time around for however long it lasts. I’ll hope that somehow he’ll be happier, and that he can forgive me.”

Gabriel looked at him in disgust before walking away.


	17. Chapter 17

Samael sat with Michael in his quarters. His older brother was teaching him about humans. He’d been teaching him about the different things that were created for a while now. “Why aren’t humans like us? Why don’t they have wings? Why do they have to die?”

Michael cringed a little. He’d been teaching his brother about humans for a few weeks now, and he knew that Samael was going to eventually ask some tough questions, like why humans had to die. They’d just come to that part of Samael’s lessons, and the boy was finding it hard to understand. “Because Dad made them different than us.”

“But why?” Samael asked.

Michael went over and sat next to his brother. “The first thing you need to understand is that humans are not like us in Dad’s eyes. He cares about them a lot, but they’re different than us. We’re his children. They are something he made.”

“I don’t understand how it’s different,” Samael said.

“Well, think of it like drawing a picture or building a house,” Michael said. He probably shouldn’t be comparing humanity to inanimate objects, but he needed to find a way for his brother to understand what he was saying. “It’s not the same as having children.”

“Is that why Dad said that it was Trixie’s mum’s job to punish her and not his?” Samael asked. His father had also told him that he didn’t tell humans what to do. That they took care of themselves.”

“Yes, that’s right. Humans take care of each other. Dad created a couple of them and they created others of their race, their children. They teach each other how to live and behave,” Michael explained.

“How did they create other humans though? How does it work?” Samael asked.

“You’re going to have to ask Dad that,” Michael said. He was not explaining sex to his little brother. He simply refused. Their father could have that conversation with him.

“I still don’t understand why they have to die,” Samael said.

“Because their forms weren’t meant to survive forever. Death isn’t so terrible for humans, Samael. Many of them come here when they die. They live in peace with their loved ones. They don’t have to suffer anymore,” Michael explained.

“Okay, but you said they don’t all come here? Where do they go?” Samael asked curiously.

Michael took a deep breath. He would have to be careful in how he answered this. He didn’t want to upset his brother. “There are some people who do very bad things, things that they aren’t punished enough for when they’re alive.”

“Like the man who hurt my wing?” Samael asked. It just occurred to him that that man would die someday, and Samael did not want that man to come to his home.

“Yes, like him. People like him go somewhere to be punished instead.

“So, he won’t ever come here?” Samael asked hopefully.

“No. You will never have to see him. He will never step foot in this place,” Michael promised. His father had told him that that man was already dead and suffering in Hell where he belonged.

“Good. This means that people like Chloe and Trixie will come here one day, right?” Samael asked.

Michael stiffened. He’d been told that Chloe Decker was involved with hurting his brother, and that she would be granted access to the Silver City. He’d been angry when he learned that. He believed her soul should be condemned to Hell for what she did, but his father assured him that the punishment she would receive here would be worse. “Yes, most likely they will both come here one day.

“What about Uriel? He’s not here. Does that mean he’s being punished?” Samael asked. His dad had told him that Uriel died. That was the first time he’d heard about what death was. It had really upset him. He found Uriel annoying most of the time, but he was still his brother. He didn’t like that he was gone. 

“No. Uriel’s death was unique. He can’t be here, but he’s not being punished either. I promise, Uriel isn’t in any pain,” Michael said sadly. While Uriel wasn’t in pain, he wasn’t sure whether Uriel’s fate was better or worse than that. He was just gone. He just no longer existed. Michael wasn’t sure that was better. What was worse was that Uriel didn’t need to die. If he’d just heeded their father’s warnings, he’d still be alive.

“Dad won’t say why he died?” Samael said.

“It was an accident. That’s all that matters,” Michael said. He didn’t like lying, but Samael did not need to know what really happened. While it wasn’t exactly an accident, it also wasn’t Samael’s fault, not now or when it happened. “What do you say we take a break from your lessons for a while? How about we go for a fly?”

Samael smiled. “Okay.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Michael got up and answered it. It was Raphael. “Hello, Raphael. Is everything alright?”

“Yes, but I need your assistance with some work I’m doing. It should only take a few minutes. 

“Alright, hold on,” Michael said before turning back to Samael. “Samael, I have to help Raphael quickly. Can you entertain yourself here for a few minutes? I promise we’ll go flying as soon as I get back.”

“Okay,” Samael said just slightly disappointed that their plans were set back.

Michael walked off with Raphael seconds later.

Samael sat on the couch waiting for a good five minutes before he heard the door open again. He thought it was Michael and got excited again, but it turned out to be Gabriel.

Gabriel scowled at his little brother. “What are you doing here? You don’t belong in other people’s rooms.”

“Michael told me to wait here. He was giving me lessons. He’s going to take me flying. These aren’t your rooms either,” Samael pointed out. He didn’t know why, but Gabriel had gotten really mean. It was like he swapped places with Michael. Michael was mean before, but now he was nice.

“Flying? What makes you think Michael wants to take you flying? You don’t think he has more important things to do?” Gabriel asked hatefully.

“Why are you so mean? I didn’t do anything to you. You were my friend,” Samael said. It wasn’t fair. He hadn’t done anything to make Gabriel hate him, at least that was what his father told him. 

“Yeah, well, I grew up and realized what a brat you are. You’re nothing but a little Devil, Samael. You never should’ve been allowed to come back here!” Gabriel yelled at the boy.

“Stop it! You’re being a bastard!” Samael said. He’d heard the word ‘bastard’ used by one of his siblings, and he’d been told he wasn’t allowed to say it. He didn’t know what it meant, but it must be something bad, and he wanted to say something bad to Gabriel right now.

“Spoken from the Devil himself. Everyone else might look at you know and see some innocent kid, but I know better,” Gabriel said. Many of his siblings had eased up on the boy, many even growing to like him. Gabriel would not be one of them. He knew the truth about the little brat. “You’re an evil little monster!”

Samael flinched and tears began to stream down his face. That had been what that man that hurt him had said about him. He called him evil. “Stop! Leave me alone!”

“No. You’re gonna hear the truth. You’re nothing but a monster! You’re the reason Uriel is dead. You killed him!”

Just then, Michael came into the room. He saw his little brother with tears in his eyes. “What’s going on?”

Samael got up and ran into his brother’s arms.

Michael put an arm around him while glaring at Gabriel. “What did you say to him?”

Gabriel looked nervous for the first time. He knew he’d taken it a step too far. His father was going to be pissed when he found this out, and he would. At the same time, he wasn’t sorry. He wanted to hurt the kid.

“Answer me, Gabriel,” Michael said angrily.

“He said I killed Uriel,” Samael cried almost incoherently.

Gabriel fled the suite after getting a dangerously cold look from his older brother.

Michael turned his attention to the young boy crying in his arms. He picked him up into his arms. “It’s okay, little brother. Come on. I’m gonna take you to Dad.”

Samael buried his face into his brother’s shoulder and cried as he was carried from the room.


	18. Chapter 18

God was livid as he walked through the Silver City. Michael had returned to his quarters over an hour ago with a crying Samael. The boy was inconsolable, worse than he’d been even when God told him he was younger than he should be or that his mother was gone. It had taken him over and hour to get his son calm, and even then, it was just because he managed to cry for so long that it exhausted him. He’d cried himself to sleep.

Once Samael was asleep, he questioned Michael, because Samael had been too upset to coherently tell him what had happened. Michael told him that Gabriel told him that he was responsible for Uriel’s death. God was seething. He made it perfectly clear that not only was Samael to be treated with respect, but that no one was to ever tell him that Uriel had died at his hand. Gabriel had disobeyed him on both accounts.

It, of course, didn’t take God long to find Gabriel. He was just outside the garden with a few others. God wasted no time making his way over.

Gabriel gulped as soon as he saw his father, as well as the rage on his face. “Dad, I’m…”

“Do not speak!” God growled before taking his son by the arm and leading him away. They walked for a good fifteen minutes before they reached Gabriel’s rooms. God hauled him inside and shut the door before letting his son go and unleashing on him. “Was I unclear?! Was I not very explicit with what I expected when it comes to your little brother?!”

“I...”

“Was I unclear?!” God asked loudly.

“No, sir,” Gabriel answered.

“No, I didn’t think so. I told you that your little brother was to be treated with respect, just like everyone else here,” God lectured.

“Well, he’s not like us anymore! He’s nothing but a little bastard! He betrayed us! He rebelled! He turned his back on us!” Gabriel yelled.

“No, Gabriel, we turned our backs on him. Some of us long before he rebelled,” God said with a pointed glare.

Gabriel did nothing but scowl in response. 

“But that is irrelevant. All of it happened during a time that Samael can’t remember. He doesn’t know anything about rebellions or fights. He is just a little boy, and he has done nothing to earn your bullying. No, you’re abuse!” God yelled.

Gabriel looked at his father with both shock and outrage. “Abuse?! I didn’t lay a hand on him!”

“No, instead you verbally assaulted him! You wielded attack after attack on him knowing that he had no way of defending himself! That is abuse, and I will not allow it!” God yelled at him.

“He deserved it! He’s nothing but a little brat! Nothing I said wasn’t true! He killed Uriel!” Gabriel yelled back.

“Uriel’s death was unavoidable,” God said.

“No, it wasn’t. It could’ve been avoided if Samael had done as he was instructed when you brought him back!”

“Is that what you think? You think answering his prayer had a price tag? You think I’m that cruel? I’ll have you know that I sent him that vision of your mother escaping to warn him to be careful. I didn’t expect him to send her to Hell. Uriel would’ve known that if he’d asked instead deciding for himself what I wanted. Unfortunately, that cost him,” God said.

“It doesn’t matter! Samael killed him for a stupid human!” Gabriel said.

“Don’t think you can play me, Gabriel. You’re not angry over Uriel’s death. You simply used that to hurt your brother. Well, I will not let you keep hurting him,” he said firmly.

“No, of course not. No discomfort can come to your favorite son,” Gabriel said bitterly.

God sighed. As much as he wanted to deny that his son’s words held no merit, they did. He had played favorites when he shouldn’t have. It was one of his biggest regrets. “Okay, Gabriel. Yes, I showed Samael favoritism. I shouldn’t have. It didn’t help him or any of you. And if you want to come at me over it, go ahead. But Samael did nothing to you. He didn’t ask for any of it. It isn’t his fault that I failed as a father. You will not be allowed to take it out on him. You’re going to apologize to him, and you will convince me you mean it, because if I think for a second that you don’t, you will not stay here.”

Gabriel recoiled back with a bit of fear. Was his father planning to send him to Hell if he didn’t do what he wanted?

God sensed what his son was thinking and winced. Sending a child to Hell as punishment was his worst decision ever. He wouldn’t do it again. He didn’t even like the idea of sending Gabriel away from their home at all, but he couldn’t have one child abusing another, especially when Samael had no way of protecting himself against it. “No, I will not send you to Hell, but I will not allow this to continue either. If you can’t live by the few rules I have, You can’t remain in my home. I don’t think asking you not to torture your brother is unreasonable. You will cease your treatment of him or you will leave until you can. I will give you time to consider this. I expect your apology or your decision to leave with one week.”

Gabriel called after his father, who was walking to the door. “You’re still favoring him. You’re choosing him over me.”

“He’s a child. You’re not,” was the last thing God said before leaving his son alone.

Xxxxxxxxxx

God was seated on the couch in the living room contemplating things. He hated the way things were turning out. It was very likely that he was going to have to turn Gabriel away in order to protect, Samael, and it was mainly his own fault. If he’d been a better father, Gabriel wouldn’t be so angry. At the same time, of course, Gabriel was not a child. He should’ve learned by now that he couldn’t blame his brother for God’s failures.

God was pulled from his thoughts as he heard small footsteps. He looked up to see Samael in the doorway. He looked very upset, which was to be expected. “Hello, son. I’m glad to see you’re awake. How about we get you something to eat? It’s past dinner time.”

“I don’t want anything,” Samael said miserably.

God sighed sadly and opened up his arms for the boy. “Come here, child.”

That was all the prompting Samael needed. He ran into his father’s arms and began crying again. 

“Shh. It’s alright, little one,” he promised as he rubbed his back.

“Daddy, am I bad?” Samael asked in a broken voice.

“No, of course not. Sit next to me here,” God said before pulling away and gently guiding the by next to him on the couch.

Samael immediately shifted back into his father’s arms.

God just held him for a while, letting him cry a little more. Once it seemed like the child was done, he started speaking again. “You’re not bad, Samael. I’m very sorry your brother said that to you. He was very cruel to you.”

“He said it was my fault Uriel died. Is it?” Samael asked.

God gently took his son by the chin and turning his head towards him so they were eye to eye. “Son, you need to listen really well right now. I need you to understand what I tell you. Can you do that?”

Samael nodded. 

“Uriel was making some very bad decisions. He chose to try to hurt people. That choice led to him dying,” God said. It was as close to the truth as he was willing to get. He refused to tell his little boy that he delivered the blow that killed his brother. He didn’t need to know that. He wouldn’t understand it.

“Does that mean it was Uriel’s fault he died?” Samael asked.

“Well, if he’d made better choices, I think he’d be alive, but I don’t think it’s really anyone’s fault. No one wanted it to happen, but it couldn’t be prevented. It’s not your fault, son. I don’t want you to ever listen to anyone tell you it is,” God said.

Samael did feel a little better. If his dad said it wasn’t his fault, he believed him. He was still upset though over the things his brother said. “Why did Gabriel say it was? Why does he have to be so mean? He’s worse than Michael was.”

“I know, my boy,” God said before cuddling him once more. “I want you to know you didn’t do anything wrong. Gabriel is angry about things that aren’t your fault and has taken it out on you.”

“It’s not fair. We were friends,” Samael said.

“You’re right. It’s not, but it’s not going to happen anymore. I promise I will not allow your brother to hurt you anymore,” God said.

“Okay. Dad, I said something I’m not supposed to,” Samael said.

“Did you?” God asked gently, prompting the boy to go on. 

“I called Gabriel a bastard. I know you said I’m not supposed to say it, but I was mad. He was being mean and I wanted to say something mean back,” Samael explained. He decided he should tell his dad what happened. Gabriel would probably tell on him if he didn’t, and his dad might be less mad about it if he told himself. 

“I see. Thank you for being honest about it. I’m proud of you for owning up to do doing something you’re not supposed to. It certainly wasn’t a nice thing for you to say, but Gabriel said a lot to you that he shouldn’t have,” God said. He had no intention of reprimanding his son for it under the circumstances. He was defending himself the only way he could.”

“You’re not gonna punish me?”

“No. You’ve already been punished today, quite unfairly. I don’t want you to make a habit of saying things like that though. That word is very rude. You can think of better words to express yourself, I think,” God said.

“Yes, Dad,” Samael said. 

“Do you think you’re ready to eat now? You haven’t had anything since lunch,” God said.

“I’m not hungry,” Samael said. He felt better than before, but he was still sad and didn’t want to eat. 

“Samael, I’d like you to try to eat a little. You don’t have to have a lot if you don’t want to, but I’d like you to at least have a sandwich or something,” he said.

Samael sighed. He knew he didn’t really have a choice. “Okay.”

“Good boy. Come,” God said before standing up, pulling his son up with him. He then led him into the kitchen.


	19. Chapter 19

God sat with Samael at the table as they had breakfast. It had been a couple of months since Samael had been the target of Gabriel’s bitterness. Unfortunately, Gabriel had been unable to accept his younger brother and had to be told to leave. It hurt God to have to do that, but he couldn’t allow Samael to be abused by his brother. “Did you have a good time with your brothers yesterday?”

“Uh huh. Manuel and Raziel took me flying. Manuel showed me how to do flips while flying,” Samael said with a smile.

“Oh, really. Son, I believe that is something your brothers would’ve preferred you not tell me,” God said. Both his older sons knew that he would not be happy about that. Samael hadn’t been flying long enough to safely be able to do that.

“Oh. Am I in trouble?” Samael asked with some worry in his voice. He probably should’ve realized that he wasn’t supposed to do that. His dad said he wasn’t supposed to be doing tricks while he was flying.

“No, but I will be having a word with your brothers about what they are and aren’t allowed to teach you,” God said.

Samael scowled. “Why is everything that’s fun not allowed?”

God chuckled a little at his son. “Because most of the time, what you consider fun, I consider dangerous. Now, no more flying tricks, alright? You’ll have plenty of time for that later.”

“Yes, Dad,” Samael said with a sigh.

Just then, they heard the door open and close. “That should be Michael coming to take you for your lessons. Go get dressed.”

Samael nodded and ran off to his bedroom. 

God got up and headed for the living room. Surprisingly, he found that it was not Michael there, but Amenadiel. “Hello, my son. It’s good to see you. I didn’t think you’d be back until your child was born.” 

“Yeah, I just wanted to stop by. Where’s Samael?” Amenadiel asked. His tone was quiet and sad. 

God knew something was wrong. His son didn’t seem to happy. “He’s getting ready for his lessons with Michael. What’s wrong, Amenadiel?” God asked. ‘

“Um, I’ve been thinking about coming home after my son is born. I think he should be raised here,” Amenadiel said. He didn’t feel that Earth was the place for his son anymore, not since a boy he’d been trying to help had been murdered. 

Just then, Samael came out after changing his clothes. He immediately ran to his big brother. “Amenadiel!”

“Hey, little brother,” Amenadiel said as he bent down to hug his brother. 

“I missed you,” Samael said before pulling away. 

“I missed you too. How are you?” Amenadiel asked.

“Okay,” Samael said.

Just then, the door opened and Michael walked in. “Hey, Amenadiel. I didn’t know you’d be stopping by.”

“Hi, Michael. It was a last minute decision,” Amenadiel said.

God turned to his youngest son. “Alright, you behave for Michael.”

Samael turned to his father and pouted. “But I don’t want to go. I want to stay with Amenadiel.”

“Samael, you need to have your lessons. You had the last two days off. It’s time to get back to it. Plus, I need to talk with Amenadiel alone. I’ll make you a deal though. You spend half a day with Michael and then you can come back to spend time with Amenadiel,” God said. He certainly didn’t want to deprive Samael of time with his older brother. If he couldn’t tell that Amenadiel was out of sorts, he’d even let Samael have the day off.

That sounded a little better to Samael, but he still didn’t want to go. He wanted to spend the whole day with Amenadiel. “But, it’s not fair. I want to…”

“Son, this is not up for discussion. You’re going with Michael. It’s either for a half a day or a whole day if you keep arguing,” God said in a hard tone. 

“Come on, Samael, it’s not a bad deal. We can get it done quick,” Michael said

“Yeah, go ahead, little brother. I’ll be here when you get back,” Amenadiel promised.

Samael nodded reluctantly and followed Michael out.

“Come sit,” God said before taking his son by the shoulder and leading him to the couch. They both sat down. “I would of course love for you to come home with my grandson, but I’d like to know why you’ve suddenly changed your mind about where your son should grow up. Did something happen between you and Doctor Martin?”

Amenadiel shook his head. “There was a kid who had gotten involved with the wrong people. I was trying to help him. I thought I had, but they murdered him. My son can’t grow up in that kind of world.”

God squeezed his son’s shoulders comfortingly. “I’m sorry you had to witness such a poor part of humanity. It isn’t perfect, Amenadiel. It was never meant to be. You have good and bad, but you shouldn’t just focus on the bad. You’ve seen a lot of good on Earth.”

Amenadiel shook his head. “My son can’t grow up around such horrors.”

God nodded. He could see where his son was coming from. He didn’t want his child to suffer the cruelty of the world. “You want him to be in a good environment, a perfect one. I understand. I wanted the same for you and all your siblings. Even now, I continue to try to get as close as I can for Samael. But it isn’t possible, Amenadiel. I’ve learned the hard way that perfection isn’t obtainable, even here. He will suffer hardships no matter where he grows up.”

“But I should be able to protect him from that. Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?” Amenadiel asked.

“It is your job to protect your child as well as you can, but you cannot do so from everything. He will experience hardships, and unfortunately, you can’t prevent that. Your child is going to see parts of the world and humanity that are bad, he will also see much of the good. The good can outweigh the bad,” God explained.

“What if it doesn’t though? What if I can’t protect him from the bad?” Amenadiel asked. That was his greatest fear. That he wouldn’t be able to stop the bad parts of humanity from engulfing his son.

“Every father fears that. You need to have faith in yourself, Amenadiel. Plus, you won’t be alone. The child’s mother will be by your side, and everyone here will help you as well. You have to believe that that will be enough,” God said.

“So, you think I should raise him on Earth?” he asked.

“I think you’d regret it if you took your son away from his mother for this reason. Taking a child from his mother isn’t something that should be done lightly,” God said. He knew this better than anyone. He had done so, and for good reason, but it still hurt him to have to do it, especially with Samael when he saw how much he missed his mother. He stood by his decision, but it didn’t mean it was easy.

Amenadiel nodded. That was true. He already had unmeasurable guilt for even considering taking the baby from Linda. She loved him so much. It would hurt her badly, and Amenadiel didn’t want to do that to her. “You’re right, Father.

“It will be alright, son,” God said before pulling his son into his arms.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Just a few weeks later, Amenadiel was showing off his son to father and younger brother. He would later take Charlie around the Silver City for his other siblings to see, but he wanted his father and Samael to be the first. 

“He’s wonderful, Amenadiel,” God said as he gently stroked the child’s head.

“He’s small, and he doesn’t have wings,” Samael commented.

“He’ll get them later in life. He was born different than you because he’s part human. He’ll grow faster too,” God explained to his son.

“Do you want to hold him, Samael?” Amenadiel asked.

“I…I don’t want to hurt him,” Samael said as he took a step back. He held Azrael when she was born, but she wasn’t as small and didn’t look as breakable.

“You won’t, as long as you follow your brother’s instructions. Come sit,” God said before guiding his son to the couch and sitting him down. “Hold your arms out.”

Amenadiel walked over and gently put Charlie in his younger brother’s arms. He moved his brother’s arms, so that he was holding Charlie securely. “Keep your hands just like that.”

Samael was nervous for a few moments, but he calmed down and smiled at the baby.

“You’re doing well. He likes you. You’re his uncle,” Amenadiel said. He smiled almost bittersweetly. He loved Samael so much, and he was glad to introduce him to his son, but it wasn’t the way he expected for his son to meet his brother when he first found out he was going to be a father.

God went to his oldest and gently pulled him to the other side of the room. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah. I was just thinking about how Lucifer was supposed to be here when my son was born. I mean, I love Samael, but…”

“I understand, son. You don’t have to explain,” God told him.

“He’s not coming back, is he?” Amenadiel asked. The more time that passed, the more likely it seemed that Lucifer was just gone.

“I don’t know. This is something that not even I can predict. He could wake up one day and be Lucifer or Samael may just have to grow up all over again. There’s no way to know, not even for me,” God said.

“I hope you won’t take this the wrong way, but do you hope he doesn’t come back?” Amenadiel asked. 

God thought for a moment before answering. “In a way, I suppose so. It’s not because I don’t want Lucifer back. He would find it hard to believe, but I love him just as much as I love that boy over there. But Lucifer suffered, a great deal so because of me. I just don’t want him in anymore pain.”

Amenadiel nodded. He understood where his father was coming from. “I don’t know what to hope for. I feel like whatever happens, I’ve lost one of them. If Lucifer stays gone, we’ve lost him. If he doesn’t, we lose Samael.”

“I know it seems that way, son, but try to remember that they are the same person. Even if Lucifer doesn’t come back, and Samael grows up much different, he will still have a piece of the man we live in him. The same can be said if Lucifer does return. That little boy will always be a part of him. That being said, I hope you won’t wait for Lucifer to return. It wouldn’t be fair to either form of your brother or to yourself. We must live with what has happened,” God told him.

“Yeah, I know. Either way, life isn’t the same. We all have to deal with that,” Amenadiel said.

“Come on,” God said as he led him back to Samael and the baby.


	20. Chapter 20

Life for Chloe didn’t get any better once Lucifer… Samael left for Heaven. She tried to make it better. She tried to go on like it didn’t happen. She tried to go back to life before Lucifer entered it, but it was impossible. How could she simply forget three years of her life, which had been dramatically affected by her partner’s presence? How could she forget why he was no longer in her life? Even if she could’ve closed her mind to it, those in her life didn’t let her. Half of her friends had shut her out. Linda, Maze, and Amenadiel had never forgiven her. Anytime they saw her, they found ways to let her know how much they hated her. Dan and Ella were the only ones who hadn’t turned away from her, and that was because they didn’t know what she did. Ella, for one, wouldn’t have forgiven her, which was why Chloe had distanced herself from the lab tech as much as possible. She couldn’t face her with the guilt she had.

The worst reminders of all had come from Chloe’s own daughter. Trixie never forgot Lucifer either, and she’d ask constantly when Lucifer was coming back. When she was teenager, Trixie finally started asking a different question. She was older. She had more clarity as she remembered when Lucifer had become Samael. She remembered the other adults that were around being extremely angry at Chloe. She remembered her mother saying she’d done something that hurt Lucifer. She asked if her mother was the reason Lucifer was gone,

That had been a particularly hard day for Chloe, and it had changed her relationship with her daughter forever. Chloe didn’t lie. At sixteen, her daughter could understand the truth, and she wouldn’t accept vague answers. Chloe was honest with her. She told her that she was indeed the reason Lucifer was gone and she told her exactly what had happened. Trixie never looked at her the same way again. Chloe didn’t think her daughter hated her, but there was a distance between them that hadn’t been there before.

Chloe’s guilt had become worse after that. She’d felt guilty already, but the fact that even her daughter could see how far she’d gone made it even worse. If your own child couldn’t see beyond your awful deeds, they really were awful. 

Once Trixie was away at college, Chloe buried herself in work. She took as many cases as she could and worked them quite recklessly. There were many times where she survived just by the skin of her teeth. Dan often lectured her about it. He told her she had to be more careful. He even teamed up with Ella to try to get her to talk about what was causing her to act this way. They both seemed to figure out that it had to do with Lucifer, but neither knew that it was really her actions and the consequences for them. 

Chloe didn’t listen to either of them. She just didn’t care anymore. She kept acting recklessly in the line of duty for years. In fact, her latest case involved a dangerous, ruthless killer. She’d been told to take a partner, but she didn’t. As a result, a bullet was headed right for her chest. She knew before it even hit her that this was it. She’d made one reckless choice too many. She wasn’t afraid though. She was relieved. She’d spent fifteen years guilt ridden over what she did. She was ready for this. She was ready for punishment to begin.

Chloe felt the bullet hit. It was incredibly painful, just as she remembered being shot to be, but it only lasted a second. Then it was over. She stood up, but soon felt like something had grabbed onto her and was trying to pull here off some kind of ledge. She felt like she was going to fall, but then she felt a strong hand grab onto her arm. It was a young woman with short dark hair. She looked like she was around Trixie’s age, early to mid-twenties at the oldest.

“Nope. You don’t go that way, even though you should,” the young woman said.

“Who are you?” Chloe asked.

“Azrael, the Angel of Death. If you haven’t realized it, you’re dead,” she said bluntly. Normally, she eased souls into that news, but she didn’t care enough for the woman who hurt her little brother so much that he felt the need to physically regress. 

“Yeah, I realized. You’re related to Lucifer?” Chloe asked.

“I was his little sister. You changed that. Your betrayal pushed him over the edge,” Azrael said with hate in her eyes and voice. She considered herself quite forgiving, but not with this. In a sense, she’d lost her brother, and it was largely because of this woman’s actions. They all had their roles in it, but Chloe Decker had pushed him over the edge with her betrayal.

“I know the pain I’ve caused him. I know my fate. I’m ready to face it,” Chloe said. When she first learned of her punishment, she was scared, but she wasn’t now. She wanted it. She wanted to be punished.

“It doesn’t matter if you are or not,” Azrael said coldly before flying her soul up to the Silver City. She arrived with her right in front of her father.

Chloe looked around. She appeared to be in a normal looking suite. There was a couch and chairs, as well as a table. There was no bed, but she was dead, so she wouldn’t need it. The other thing noticeably missing was a door. She supposed she didn’t need that either.

“Thank you, Azrael. You can go. I believe you promised Samael a visit the next time you came home. He’s with Raphael and Michael,” God said.

Azrael nodded and flew out. 

“Hello, Detective Decker. Welcome to the Silver City. Well, the only part of it you’re likely to see,” God said.

Chloe didn’t respond. She couldn’t think of much to say. 

“As you can see, I’ve provided you with comfortable accommodations. I’m not heartless,” God said.

Chloe could see that. Again, the room looked lovely. Of course, it was still a cell, just a more comfortable one. She should be glad for that though. She would likely spend eternity in it. She should be glad it would a comfortable stay. “Would it matter at all if I said I was sorry again?”

“No, it wouldn’t. It won’t change the pain my son went through, nor will it change your fate,” God said coldly.

“I don’t expect it to change my fate. I don’t even want it to. I just want you to know that I am sorry. It has eaten away at me since it happened. The guilt literally killed me,” Chloe said.

“Yes, I suppose it did. I know you feel guilty, Detective Decker, but I wonder if you still would if your plan had succeeded. You felt guilty because a young child stood in the place of the man you feared. It’s hard to justify hurting a child, but someone who was dubbed ‘the Devil’ is another story. Would your guilt still have consumed you if you’d done what you set out to? Or would you have justified it then?” God asked. 

Chloe wanted to say yes. She had felt guilty even as she watched Father Kinley do the ritual, so she did believe she would’ve felt guilt even later. However, at the same time, it probably wouldn’t like what she was feeling now. She might have been able to justify her actions in a way she couldn’t now. “I don’t know.”

“It’s immaterial anyway. I was merely curious. Your guilt doesn’t take away the damage you’ve done to my son,” God said.

“I know that. I know that I damaged Lucifer badly, but don’t act like he wasn’t damaged long before I met him,” Chloe said. She knew what she’d done. Even in death, she still felt that guilt and always would. But Lucifer was messed up before her. He was damaged by his father, and she was no longer afraid to tell him that. She was already dead and at his mercy. What could he do now?”

“Oh, I am well aware of that. I live with the same guilt you do. I may not let myself drown in it the way you have, but it’s there,” God said. There were times that he wished to let it consume him, as he deserved, and even to be judged as he judged Chloe Decker, but neither were possible. His son was still there and needed to be taken care of. It would do him no good if his father destroyed himself over his sins. “Yes, I damaged my son in many ways, but you broke him. I won’t forget that.”

“Neither will I, but I didn’t know what else to do. He was the Devil. He was said to be evil. You called him that,” Chloe accused.

“Oh, no. That was your kind. The term ‘Devil’ didn’t exist, nor had it any meaning until a human gave life to it. Your kind make a habit of deciding you know my intentions. You personally are no exception. Admittedly, I should’ve nipped it in the bud before it became a problem. I had long since decided not to interfere. It’s yet another mistake I regret,” God said.

Chloe didn’t really know what to say to that, nor did it really matter. Nothing would or should change her punishment, nor erase her guilt.

“Well, I suppose I should leave you to your sentence then. I promise you, no one is ever going to bother you,” God said. He sounded cruel, but he didn’t care. It was no more cruel than her using his son’s love against him to betray him, which pushed him over the edge. 

“Wait. I…I know the Lucifer hasn’t come back, but do you think he ever will?” Chloe asked.

“I don’t know. It seems more unlikely as the years go by,” God said.

“If he were to ever come back, would you let me see him or at least let me know he’s back?” Chloe asked. She knew she didn’t deserve it, but she wanted to know if he came back. She wanted to know that he was okay. 

“Ah, because if he came back, it would ease your guilt. I owe you nothing, not even that. However, if he came back and wanted to see you, I would certainly grant it to him. Now, I believe were done,” God said.

Chloe watched as he disappeared, leaving her alone. She ventured she’d be alone for a long time, probably eternity.


	21. Chapter 21

God was seated at the kitchen table reading a book as he waited for his son to wake up. Samael was doing well now. Things had been hard for him for the first year or so as he adjusted to being much younger than all of his siblings and to his mother’s absence. It had almost been a century and he was thriving well. 

God soon heard the door to his quarters open and close. He wasn’t surprised. Many of his children dropped by on a daily basis. They knew they didn’t need to knock unless they were entering his private office.

Soon, God heard footsteps in the kitchen. He looked up to see a young, African American man who looked to be in his early twenties. “Hello, Charlie.”

“Hi, Grandpa,” Charlie said.

“How’s your mother doing?” God asked. Charlie spent much of his time with his mother, as did Amenadiel. Neither had left the Silver City since Linda died. Charlie and Amenadiel had actually spent a lot of time in the Silver City even before that. He’d stopped aging when he was around twenty one. It made it harder to spend as much time on Earth. And, of course, Amenadiel didn’t age either. They’d both visited Earth whenever they could until Linda died. 

“She’s good. She is in Heaven after all,” Charlie said before stealing a piece of bacon from the plate on the table.

“Hey! That’s your uncle’s breakfast. If you want something, I’ll get you your own,” God lectured. 

Charlie chuckled at his munched on the slice of bacon. “Where is Sammy?”

God smiled at the nickname. Samael only allowed Charlie to call him that, and only because when Charlie was learning to talk, it was easier to say than Samael. Samael and Charlie were close. Samael had been upset when he realized that Charlie, his nephew, was aging much faster than him, but he adjusted to it. It helped that no matter how much older he got, Charlie always spent time with him. “He’s still asleep. You can go wake him if you want. I was about to do so. I don’t need him up half the night because he slept have the morning.”

“Okay. By the way, Grandpa, no one reads actual books anymore. That’s ancient. Oh, yeah, I forgot, you’re even more ancient,” Charlie said with a mischievous smirk. 

“Boy, you watch your lip. You’re not too old for me to smack you,” God said with a fake glare.

Charlie laughed and headed for Samael’s room. He knocked and then opened the door. “Time to get up, Sammy. You don’t wanna spend the day sleeping when your awesome nephew is…”

Charlie didn’t see what he expected when he walked into the room. He didn’t see the young boy he’d played with since he was a child. Instead, there was a grown man in his place, though one that looked an awful lot like Samael. Charlie knew very little of what happened, but he did know that his uncle was once a grown man and had unconsciously turned himself into a child. “Grandpa!”

Hearing the concern in his grandson’s voice, God rushed to his side. “Charlie, what…?” He trailed off when he got a good look at what had his grandson so concerned. His child was no longer a child anymore. He was once again the man they all felt like they’d lost, and he looked to be in pain. “Sam… Lucifer?”

Lucifer groaned in agony. His head felt like someone had tried to bash him it in and flashes of images kept going through his head. It was like they were memories, but they none of them stuck around long enough for him to place them.

“Lucifer, can you hear me?” God asked as he approached his son. 

Lucifer did hear the words, but he was barely able to register them. The voice sounded like his father’s, but he knew it couldn’t be him. 

“Grandpa, what’s going on? Should I get Dad?” Charlie asked.

“You can. Michael and Raphael as well please,” God said. Michael and Raphael, as well as Amenadiel, had spent the most time with Samael. They needed to know. He didn’t want to tell too many others yet though.

Charlie nodded and headed out of the room.

God placed a hand on his son’s forehead, causing the man to flinch. “Easy, son. I’m just trying to find out why you appear to be in so much pain.” He took a look into his mind to see that he was having flashes. A century worth of memories were trying to work their into his son’s mind. It wasn’t all that surprising to find that his head was hurting. “I’m afraid I can’t take your pain away, son, but I’m going to help you sleep for a bit, alright?”

Lucifer was now pretty certain the man speaking was his father, but he was in too much pain to care. It didn’t matter when his head felt like it was going to explode. 

God used his power to help his son go back to sleep. He also changed the bed and made it bigger, so his son would be more comfortable. He changed his clothes with a single thought as well. He could only that his son would sleep through most of the more intense pain.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

God sat in the kitchen with Amenadiel, Michael, Raphael, Charlie, and also Linda Martin. He didn’t usually allow human souls into his personal quarters, but Linda Martin was a part of his family, as she was the mother of his grandson. Besides, his son was likely to be overwhelmed and upset when his memories finally settled. He might need her counsel. 

“I don’t understand why this is happening now. He hasn’t showed any signs of coming back in almost a century. I figured he wasn’t going to come back,” Michael said. His father had just explained to all of them what happened.

“Yeah, I thought the same. I figured Lucifer was just gone, or that if he did come back, it wouldn’t be until Samael aged back to an adult naturally,” Amenadiel said. 

“It was always a possibility that he could come back at any moment, but I wasn’t expecting it either. It isn’t an unwelcome surprise though,” God said. Right now, what bothered him was that his son was in so much pain, but he wasn’t sorry his son finally felt it was safe to come back. 

“What does this mean for Samael though, the little boy that has been in his place?” Raphael asked.

“Nothing. Samael is a part of him. Right now, Samael’s memories are trying to make their way into his brain. That’s why he’s in pain,” God told him. 

“I still don’t get it. Nothing out of the normal has happened lately. Why did this happen now?” Michael asked.

“Maybe that’s why?” Linda said, getting everyone’s attention. “Subconsciously, Lucifer was always somewhere inside Samael, even if Samael didn’t notice and even if Lucifer doesn’t yet remember what happened. Samael has had a happy life here for the last century. He didn’t really know fear or misery, like Lucifer did. Sorry, I don’t mean to upset anyone but…”

“Don’t be sorry, my dear. We all have to live with the pain we caused,” God said.

“I don’t get it. Why was he so unhappy? Is it about the stories that I used to hear in school about Lucifer?” Charlie asked. He was never told much about what happened, but he did hear stories about his uncle from other kids. His parents told him those stories weren’t true. They told him not to listen to them, and his dad had instructed him to never mention them to Samael.

“Yes. Those stories weren’t true, but they were based off a fight that happened between him and me,” God said. Those stories were much less spoken of now. He’d begun putting a stop to them years earlier. He put information in the heads of some priests, and that was slowly becoming the new history. In a century or two, everyone would know the truth about his son. No one would think of him as a monster again. 

“It’s very complicated, sweetie, but your uncle was put through a lot, both by people here and a woman he trusted that betrayed him. Trixie’s mother,” Linda said. Charlie knew Trixie because Amenadiel had remained friends with her father. They saw each other from time to time.

“I remember her a little. You and Dad never seemed to like her. Trixie even stopped talking to her at one point,” Charlie said.

“She caused a lot of pain. Anyway, I think one reason that Lucifer might have returned now is because he realized, unconsciously of course, that after so long, Chloe would be definitely be dead. Plus, he’s felt the safety of his family for so long. He may have finally felt safe,” Linda explained.

“But how will he feel now? You said it yourself, Linda, he realized this unconsciously. Will the conscious part of him feel safe and happy?” Amenadiel asked.

“Not at first. He’s probably going to have a hard time understanding everything, and he may not even want to believe it, but we can all help him come to terms with it,” she said.

Just then, they all heard movement in the other room.

God immediately got up and headed out of the room, followed closely by the others. They got their in time to see Lucifer stumbling out of his room. 

Lucifer had woken up minutes earlier, and he finally had a break from the flashes, though not the searing pain. It was, however, enough for him to remember that his father was there earlier, and even where he was. There was no way he was staying.

“Son, stop,” God said as he went up to him grabbed ahold of his arms.

“Get off of me!” Lucifer yelled before trying to pull away.

“Samael, calm down,” Michael said.

“Don’t call me that!” he continued to yell, which caused his head to pound me. “Let me go!”

“Lucifer, I said stop.”

“No! I’m not staying here!” Lucifer exclaimed.

“Yes, you are. You are not leaving right now. You are not well. You need to rest. If you want to leave once you’re well again, I won’t stop you, but you don’t have to,” God said. He emphasized the last part. He wanted his son to know that he would not be forced to leave. This was his home. He would always be welcome.

Lucifer intended to keep fighting, but the flashes returned and the pain in his head became more intense. He almost collapsed from the pain.

God held onto his son as he started to fall. Michael helped as well, and the two them got him back into his room and into bed. 

“What did you do to me?” Lucifer asked as he held his head in agony. 

God sighed as he draped the blanket over him. Unfortunately, it didn’t surprise him that his son thought that it was his doing, nor could he blame Lucifer for thinking it. “It’s going to be okay, son. You’ll feel better. Rest, alright. I’ll bring you something to eat soon.”

Lucifer closed his eyes, and unconsciousness soon overtook him.


	22. Chapter 22

The next twenty-four hours or so passed in a haze of pain and memory flashes for Lucifer. Finally, they started to slow down. He was still in a lot of pain, but the flashes had finally stopped being a bunch of quick images that didn’t stay around long enough for him to focus on. They began to slow so that he had a clear picture of them.

Lucifer didn’t really feel much better though. His head still heart, though it wasn’t quite as intense, and now he was confused. The memories he was having couldn’t be real. He remembered being young, but it wasn’t from centuries ago when he was actually a child. He was remembering being that way on Earth, with an adult Amenadiel and his human friends, such as Linda, Maze, Chloe, and even her spawn. No, it wasn’t real. His father had done something to him. There was no other explanation. 

Lucifer soon heard someone come in. He heard Amenadiel’s voice shortly after.

“How you doing Luci?” 

“How do you bloody think?” Lucifer asked irritably. It was a stupid question. He was stuck in the Silver City and his father had done something to his memory. How did his brother think he was?”

“I brought you something to eat,” Amenadiel said as he held up the bowl of soup in his hands. He hoped his brother would eat it. Lucifer had refused any attempts to get him to eat in the last day. 

“I don’t want to eat. I want to leave,” Lucifer said. He knew better than to try to leave himself after the last try. He hadn’t exactly made it far. He considered trying to fly, but he doubted it would work. He could barely concentrate enough to walk with the pain and fake memories still working their way into his head. Flying seemed impossible. That was assuming his father hadn’t inhibited his ability to take flight, which he probably had. “Did you help him bring me here?”

“Luci, you’re still really confused, okay? You need to rest,” Amenadiel said.

“That’s a yes, then. Back to being his obedient soldier. Do you know what he did to me?” Lucifer asked.

“Father didn’t do anything to you, Lucifer,” Amenadiel said before placing the bowl of soup on the table next to his brother.

“The bloody hell he didn’t!” Lucifer yelled, causing him to clutch his head when the pain intensified. He made a mental note to keep his tone low for a while. Displaying his anger wasn’t worth the added pain. “Memories that are not real keep popping up into my head. He’s messed with my mind. Of course, he picks the perfect time to screw with me. He waits until I’m happy. The detective accepted who I am. We were having a date.”

“Lucifer, what’s the last thing you remember?” Amenadiel asked.

“You mean before Dad’s fabricated memories that have started to invade my mind? I was getting ready for dinner at the penthouse with the detective. We’d finally wrapped up our case,” Lucifer said. He couldn’t believe it had been screwed up again. He wondered if the detective thought he’d abandoned her again. If so, he would explain to her what happened when he got out of this. She’d believe him. She knew the truth now.

Amenadiel was concerned that that was all his brother remembered. He should remember more. He should remember at least up until Chloe spiked his drink, and that she had betrayed him. He had to. That was why he became Samael in the first place. Then again, Amenadiel knew that sometimes humans chose to forget things they didn’t want to remember. Could that be why Lucifer couldn’t remember? It might be that or it might be because his mind was still on overdrive with all the memories his mind was trying to process.

“How long have I been here? I’d venture at least a few days. It hasn’t been longer than that, has it?” Lucifer asked hopefully. Of course, a few days in the Silver City meant weeks on Earth, so the detective was probably worried either way, if she didn’t just think he left.

Amenadiel cringed. Lucifer wasn’t going to take it well when he realized he’d lost a century of time, and that everyone he knew from Earth was now dead. Yes, he could see most of them in the Silver City, but he still lost a lot of time. Then again, that was nothing compared to the pain he’d suffer when he finally realized that Chloe had betrayed him. “Lucifer everything’s going to be okay.”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Lucifer said sarcastically. Then the flashes started up again. They came and went at times. He was having a flash of himself with cut wing. He remembered telling his father about after the man healed him, all the while being in Chloe’s home. “Bloody hell! What is the bastard trying to accomplish, and does he really think it’ll work? They are obviously fake.”

“Luci, Father’s not doing this to you. What you are remembering, happened,” Amenadiel said.

“Oh, really? I’d love to hear you explain how I could have a real memory of being a child when I’m with the Detective. She didn’t even exist when I was a child. No human did,” Lucifer said. His brother had to think he was an idiot to believe this. Obviously, Amenadiel was helping his father, which both hurt Lucifer and pissed him off. He thought Amenadiel had actually been on his side.

Just then, God walked into the room. “Is everything alright, boys?”

Lucifer glared at his father. “Make it stop! Whatever you’re trying to do isn’t working!”

“Believe me, son, if I could stop what is happening to you, I would. Your mind is trying to process your memories,” God said.

“They’re not my memories. You know, you’d think you’d make it just the slightest bit believable if you wanted to try to change my memories,” Lucifer said. Honestly, he’d expect his father to be better at trying to trick him.

“Rest, Lucifer, and eat something. Once your memories have caught up, we’ll talk. I’ll answer any questions you have,” God promised.

“You mean you’ll lie to me,” Lucifer said.

“I have never lied to you, son. You know that at least,” God said before leaving the room. He motioned for Amenadiel to join him.

Lucifer watched his father and brother leave, and he slowly got up to eavesdrop on whatever they might be saying. He listened at the door.

“He doesn’t remember what happened with Kinley and Chloe Decker,” Amenadiel was saying.

Lucifer frowned a bit. He didn’t know who Kinley was and didn’t really care, but he did wonder what Amenadiel meant about the detective.

“I’m not all that surprised he’s chosen not to remember that thus far. That memory was the catalyst in what has happened to him. It’s painful for him,” God said. 

Lucifer was really confused. He didn’t understand what his father was talking about. What had happened to him, other than his father forcing false memories into his head? He couldn’t remember anything bad happening.

“How are we gonna tell him that…?” Amenadiel started to ask.

“Hold on Amenadiel. Lucifer, please stop eavesdropping and get back in bed. You will get an explanation soon enough,” God said before he and Amenadiel started walking further away.

“Bastard,” Lucifer whispered before staggering back to his bed. As he approached it, he found a toy car peeking out from underneath it. He picked it up and studied it. Why would he have a child’s toy under his bed? He looked around and saw that most of the room was fit for a child. It was colorful and there were toys around it, as well as children’s books on the shelves. He hadn’t noticed before. His head had hurt too much. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say this room belonged to a child. What was going on? The memories he was having of him as a child were fake, weren’t they? They had to be.

Lucifer couldn’t think on it for long. His headache started to act up again. He laid back down and closed his eyes. He was asleep within minutes.


	23. Chapter 23

Lucifer made his way towards the exit of the room he was in, and as such, closer to the exit entirely. He’d decided it was best to bide his time. His father couldn’t babysit him forever. He was going to have to leave his quarters to attend to Heaven’s needs eventually. Of course, there was a possibility that he would send one of Lucifer siblings to keep him prisoner, but it was a risk Lucifer decided to take. Besides, it was entirely possible he could overpower one of his siblings. His father, he couldn’t.

In that time, memories continued to form. False memories, Lucifer had to remind himself. They weren’t real. They couldn’t be. For them to be real, Lucifer would’ve had to be turned into a child again, which admittedly, the memories supported. But that was just too farfetched. The memories were still sporadic. There was no order to them yet. Certain memories just appeared at times. He did have a clear memory of his father informing him he’d been turned into a child, which only increased his belief that this wasn’t true. He supposed it wasn’t impossible, but it was very farfetched, even for creatures like him and his family. No, it was far more likely that his father had tricked him, and less disturbing. 

Luckily, Lucifer soon learned that it was Azrael sent to babysit him in his father’s absence. He could get past her easily enough. She wouldn’t even fight him, at least not physically. She might annoy him for a bit, but he’d get his way.

Azrael was waiting by the door to their father’s quarters. “I had a feeling you’d try to leave as soon as Dad was out of the way.”

“Right. Let’s skip the tedious part of you trying to talk me into not leaving. We both know you’re not going to force me to stay, so just move,” Lucifer said. 

“Lucifer, you’re not in any shape to be leaving right now. I’m guessing that memories are still hitting you often,” Azrael said. It had been a few days since Lucifer had come back and memories began assaulting. If he were a normal person, it probably would’ve been over by now, but he was a celestial who was contending with a century’s worth of memories trying to form little by little. It was going to take a little more time.

“False memories. They are not real. I don’t know what Father’s game is, but I will not play it. I’m going back to Earth. The detective is probably quite worried by now,” Lucifer said before making a move to get past her.

Azrael held her hand to his chest. “I will stop you, big brother. Dad doesn’t want you going anywhere until you’re a hundred percent, and he’s right. You’re not ready to leave. You don’t understand what has happened.”

“I understand that Dad is trying to trick me. Perhaps he thinks giving me new memories will somehow turn me back into his mindless soldier, but he has failed,” Lucifer said.

“Come on, Lucifer. You know that doesn’t make any sense. If Dad wanted to give you knew memories, why wouldn’t he destroy the old ones. Even if you believe Dad would do something so horrible, do you think he’d do it so half assed?” Azrael asked.

Lucifer didn’t really have an answer for that. It did occur to him at times that it was a rather stupid thing to do, that it was doomed to fail, but he knew his father had done this. There was no other explanation for it. “I don’t know why he’s going it, but he is. These memories are not real. Now, I am leaving. I will fight my way past if I have to. You can’t stop me.”

“Maybe not, but how far do you think you’re gonna get if you do get past me? Do you think you’ll get past all of our siblings on your way to the gates? Plus, even if you tried to fly, I’m not sure how far you’d get with the state you’re in,” Azrael said. 

“So, you all are conspiring to hold me hostage,” Lucifer said irritably.

“No, we’re trying to look out for you,” Azrael said.

Lucifer laughed in response. “As if any of these bastards give a damn about me!”

“We all do, Lucifer. Things aren’t the way they were,” Azrael said.

“Well, I suppose not, if you want to believe those bloody memories. I have memories of Michael actually hugging me. If I needed any proof that they were fake, I have it with that. Now, I’m leaving. You can’t stop me,” Lucifer said before forcing his way past her and out of his father’s quarters. He had to admit, the memories did feel real, and a part of him even wished that they had been, but he knew better. The memories of Michael were the most proof of that. Michael had hated him all his life.

Azrael was hot on his trail. “Lucifer, you don’t want to do this. Even if you somehow made it back to Earth, you wouldn’t like the results. Just come back and rest. Once you remember everything, things will make more sense, and we can explain what doesn’t make sense.”

“I wouldn’t believe anything any of you say. You say what he tells you to, as his perfect soldiers,” Lucifer said bitterly. He couldn’t trust any of his siblings, not even Azrael. At the end of the day, they would always choose his father over him. 

“Dad’s not the enemy here. None of us are. We’re trying to help you,” Azrael said. 

Just then, Michael came into view as they walked. He immediately went up to them. “What’s going on? Samael, what are you doing?”

“That is not my name! Now get out of my bloody way! I’m leaving,” Lucifer said as he went to move past his older brother. 

Michael took him by the arms. “No, you can’t leave right now. Dad wants you…”

“I don’t care what he wants! I’m not staying here!” Lucifer yelled before punching his brother in the face.

Michael was forced to let go of his brother, but he quickly recovered and threw his arms around him from behind, hugging him to his body. “Samael, stop. We’re trying to help you.”

“That’s hilarious! Like you would ever try to help me. Let me go!” Lucifer yelled before trying to break his brother’s hold. 

“Guys, stop!” Azrael exclaimed.

Lucifer elbowed his brother in the side hard, forcing him to break his hold.

Michael let go and held his side for a second before advancing once more. He grabbed his brother by the arm as he tried to flee once more. “Samael, stop! Even if you did make it back to Earth, you wouldn’t like what you found.”

“Stop!” a voice called out.

They all turned to see three women standing feet away. Michael recognized Linda Martin standing with Ella Lopez and Beatrix Espinoza.

“Let us help,” Linda said as they approached.

Lucifer stared in shock as he looked at Linda and Ella. He didn’t know who the third woman was with them, but she did seem familiar. But they couldn’t be there. No human could enter Heaven unless they were already dead. They couldn’t be. “Linda, Miss Lopez?”

Linda smiled as she approached him. “Hi, Lucifer. It’s good to see you again.”

“Y…you can’t be here! You can’t be…” Lucifer trailed off in a shaky voice. At least two people he’d known were dead. It was the only way they could be there.

“It’s okay. I made peace with it a long time ago. We all have. In fact, I was ready,” Linda said. 

“A long time ago,” Lucifer repeated. He was getting the feeling that he’d gotten wrong how long he’d been in Heaven. He’d tried to believe he’d been in Heaven no longer than a few weeks, despite the fact that the memories he was receiving suggested otherwise. Believing they were fake helped him with that. But Linda’s words suggested he was gone much longer. She didn’t look much older than he remembered, but she didn’t have to. Passed souls could look the way they chose. In most cases, they appeared in their twenties or thirties.

“I don’t think this is a good idea. My father wanted him to remember everything before he was told what happened,” Michael said.

Linda smiled at him. “Memories he refuses to believe aren’t going to do any good.”

“Neither will hearing the truth from people he doesn’t trust. No offense,” Ella said.

Michael reluctantly nodded after a minute. They had a good point. Even when his brother remembered everything and they told him, there was a good chance he wouldn’t believe it because of who he heard it from. Whether they liked it or not, they earned his distrust.

Linda held her hand out. “Come with us. We’ll tell you what happened.”

Almost numbly, Lucifer took her hand and let her lead him away.


	24. Chapter 24

Lucifer found himself being led into Amenadiel’s rooms. The furniture was more modern, but he recognized them as belonging to his brother. He also had a couple of memories of them from the new memories he was developing. The false ones. 

“Lucifer, do you wanna sit down,” Linda asked as she pointed to the living room.

“These are Amenadiel’s quarters,” Lucifer said numbly as he walked over to the couch and sat down. He couldn’t believe this was actually happening. He was in Heaven with his human friends, which was only possible because they were dead, and Linda had suggested that she’d been dead for a long time. Just how long ago had his father done whatever he did. 

Linda sat down next to Lucifer while Ella and Trixie sat in a couple of chairs. “Lucifer, we know that you’re really confused, and probably overwhelmed, but we’re here to help you,” Linda told him.

“How? How did you…?”

Linda could tell what he was trying to ask. “Cancer. By the time it happened, I was ready. I didn’t even fight it. I was ready to be with my family full time. I’m very happy now.”

“Miss Lopez?” Lucifer asked as he turned to her.

“It was a car accident. Apparently, I was always gonna die in a car accident,” Ella joked. “It was pretty painless. I only remember this car bashing into to me and then Rae-Rae standing over me. That’s how I learned she was actually an angel instead of a ghost. We had words over that.”

“You knew my sister before she ushered you here?” Lucifer asked.

“Yeah, she came to me after another car accident that I did survive. She told me she was a ghost. It was a shock to learn that wasn’t true. It was also a shock to learn that you were actually who you said you were,” Ella said. It was also a shock to learn what actually happened to Lucifer. When Lucifer disappeared, she’d been told he’d left town after a big fight with Chloe. She learned after her death that what really happened was that he’d forced himself to turn into a child because he couldn’t deal with the pain it caused when Chloe betrayed him. She’d been really pissed when she found out about that. 

Lucifer turned to the last occupant of the room. “Who are you? You look familiar, but I can’t place you.”

Trixie looked at Linda as if to ask if she should answer. She didn’t want to say something that could make it worse.

Linda nodded for her to tell him.

“When you knew me, I looked different. You were always nervous around me, but I loved being around you. I thought you were the best thing in the world. I still think you’re pretty high up there. Trixie,” she said.

Lucifer stood up and gasped. He was staring at a young woman who was a mere child the last time he’d seen her, and that seemed like days ago. In reality, it was years. He knew before that it had to have been just with what he’d heard from Linda and Ella, but it was somehow different as he looked into the eyes a child that was no longer a child. It made it real.

“Lucifer, it’s okay. Sit down,” Linda urged. 

“No, it’s not! It’s been years! What did that bastard do to me!” Lucifer exclaimed as he began breathing heavily. If it was at all possible, he’d swear he was having a panic attack. This couldn’t be happening. It had to be a nightmare, didn’t it. He couldn’t be in Heaven with everyone he knew being dead. 

Linda gently took his wrist and tugged until he sat back down. “Take a deep breath. You’ll be okay.”

Lucifer did as she instructed. It helped him calm down a bit, but he didn’t feel any better. What in the world had happened to him? “How long? How long have I been here?”

“For you, it’s been a century. On Earth, it was longer,” Linda told him.

“A century? I…I’ve been gone a century? Everyone is…”

“Everyone who cares about you is here. Yes, we died, an you’ve lost a lot of time, but time is something that we all have an unlimited amount of now. You didn’t lose us, Lucifer,” Linda said. He hadn’t lost any of them anyway, the ones that truly cared about him. Chloe was another matter. He’d lost her the moment she agreed to help Father Kinley. Soon, he would feel that loss. 

“What did he do to me?” Lucifer asked, his voice broken.

“Your father didn’t do anything to you, Lucifer. I think you know that somewhere inside you,” Linda said.

“He had to. He’s the only one with the power to do this. He kidnapped me and installed false memories into my head!” Lucifer exclaimed.

“Lucifer, I’m sorry, but they’re not false. What you’re remembering is real,” Linda said as gently as possible. Unfortunately, there was really know way to ease the information onto him. 

Lucifer shook his head. “No, that’s impossible. It would mean I was a child again, and even if that wasn’t almost impossible, the memories don’t make any sense. My siblings turned their backs on me centuries ago, but the memories I’m getting have them playing with me or talking to me, like they actually care. Hell, my brother, Michael, has barely ever tolerated my presence, even before I rebelled.” None of it made any sense. The only sibling that was actually true to form in the memories he was receiving was Gabriel. He’d turned his back on him years before he rebelled and that he saw in those memories.

“Like you said, that was centuries ago. People change. Siblings fight, sometimes for years, and then they get over it,” Ella said. 

“No, they would never get over it,” Lucifer said. 

“We wouldn’t lie to you, Lucifer, you know that,” Linda said.

Lucifer did know that, but he also knew this wasn’t possible. Perhaps his father was tricking them or making them say it. “No, it can’t be true. Forget my siblings for a moment. There are memories I know can’t be real. I recall being told that you and Amenadiel were having a child. I remember holding the child. That’s not possible. Angels can’t have children.”

“My century-old-son would disagree with you. You guys didn’t think you could have children because it had never happened before,” Linda said.

“Lucifer,” Trixie called. She’d decided to try her hand at convincing him. “I don’t know if you remember this yet. I don’t know what you remember and what you don’t. But right after you changed, you and I got into a little bit of mischief.”

The memory came to Lucifer as he listened to her. He remembered sneaking out to go flying. “Flying. You can’t remember that. It didn’t happen.”

“It did. Believe me, being grounded for two weeks makes it hard to forget. It was a dumb move on our parts. We should’ve known we’d get caught, and we did. Your dad yanked us both back with a thought to face the music. I didn’t say this out loud, but a part of me almost wished I had your punishment. You got your ass tanned and then it was over. It happened, Lucifer, all of it,” Trixie said.

Lucifer wanted to keep denying it, but it was becoming harder every second, especially considering that Trixie remembered one of the same things he did. “I…I was a child?”

“Yeah, you were,” Linda said. She didn’t say anything else. She just waited for him to come to terms with it.

“Then he must have done it! He’s the only one with the power to do that to me! You took everything from me, again!” Lucifer raged. Whether the memories were fake or whether he really was a child, it was his father’s doing. He took him away from everything he loved.

“No. Your father was livid when it happened. I wasn’t there until later, but Amenadiel told me about it, and I did see some of his stress when he was faced with your pain. You couldn’t understand what was happening to you. It was hurting you, and that hurt him,” Linda explained.

Lucifer shook his head. “No, he manipulated you. He’s the only one who could’ve done it.”

“You thought that when you got your wings back, but you gave them back to yourself,” Linda said.

It took a minute, but Lucifer soon realized what Linda was trying to tell him. “You’re saying I turned myself into a child? That’s bloody insane. Even if I could do that, I wouldn’t want to.”

“Not consciously, just like you didn’t consciously want your wings back,” she said.

“Why would any part of me want that?” Lucifer asked.

“You wanted to feel safe. You didn’t. You’d been hurt and betrayed, and you wanted someone to protect you. You regressed to a time when there was someone to do that for you,” Linda said.

“No. First of all, I wasn’t hurt. I was fine. I was happy. The detective and I…” Lucifer trailed off as realization hit him. His head was so crowded and confused that it didn’t register to him before, but the detective wasn’t there. She was dead by now too. She should be there with them. “Where’s the detective?”

All three women eyed each other nervously.

“Where’s Chloe? She’s here, right? She has to be in the Silver City,” Lucifer said almost desperately. There was only one reason he could think of for the detective not being there. That reason was her being in Hell. That couldn’t be it. He couldn’t stand that. 

“Yes, she’s here, but you can’t see her. You shouldn’t either,” Trixie said. Her mother had done enough to Lucifer. He was still dealing with the consequences of it. She didn’t want to see him hurt anymore.

“Why? Where is she?” Lucifer asked.

“We don’t know exactly. We know she’s Heaven, but she’s been isolated,” Linda told him.

“What?” Lucifer asked confused.

“Like Linda said earlier, your father was angry when he found out what happened to you and why it happened. He wasn’t willing to let it go without some punishment,” Trixie said.

Lucifer stood up and exploded. “He punished her for something I did?! The bloody bastard! She didn’t do anything wrong! But of course, he doesn’t care as long as I suffer!”

Linda stood up as well. “Lucifer, no. Your father didn’t do it to punish you. He did it to punish her. He did it to punish her for hurting you.”

“What? She didn’t. She would never hurt me,” Lucifer said. Had Linda lost her mind? Chloe had never done anything to him. She wouldn’t hurt anyone. Even when punishing the guilty, she refused to do it outside the law.

“The fact that you believe that makes what she did to you even worse,” Trixie said. She loved her mother, even after finding out what she did, but she could never get past what she did to Lucifer. Trixie remembered Lucifer from when she was a kid. He was always kind. He did whatever her mother needed him to do. He saved her life. Her mother had responded by destroying his. 

Lucifer stared at her in disbelief. “How can believe your mother would hurt anybody.”

“Because she admitted it to me. I asked her what happened to you and if it was her fault. She told me what she did,” Trixie said.

“Lucifer, the night you turned yourself into a child, you were attacked by a priest,” Linda said.

“I don’t remember that. I was having dinner with Chloe. That’s all I remember,” Lucifer said. They were wrong about this. It didn’t make any sense. He and the detective were happy. They were having a date.

“That’s all you want to remember. You sat down with Chloe and had a glass of wine, but there was something in your drink,” Linda said.

Lucifer shook his head wildly. It wasn’t true. They were wrong.

“Mom put it in there. It was a sedative,” Trixie said.

“No, stop! You’re wrong,” he said.

“Lucifer, I heard these words directly from her lips. She was working with a priest to exorcise you back to Hell.”

“No! I won’t listen to this anymore!” Lucifer said before bolting from the room.

“We should stop him,” Ella said.

“No. He has to come to terms with this on his own. We can’t do anything else right now,” Linda said sadly.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Michael stood with his father in his quarters. He’d just told him what happened with his brother and how his human friends had taken him to tell him everything. “I know you wanted to wait, Dad, but I thought they might be right. It might be best for them to tell him now.”

“I agree. In truth, I think I was stalling. I knew it would break him. I didn’t want to have to do that, but he needs to know, and I think it will be best coming from people he trusts,” God said. 

“Will he be okay?” Michael asked.

“Yes, I think so. It will undoubtedly be painful, but I don’t think he would’ve even come back if he couldn’t handle it,” God said. 

Just then, the door opened and Lucifer barged through.

“Son, are you alright?” God asked.

“I want to see her. Now!” Lucifer demanded.

God shook his head, knowing instantly who his son was referring to. “No.”

Lucifer charged up to his father and grabbed him by his suit coat. “I said I want to see her!”

“Samael, stop,” Michael said before going to get between his father and brother. A look from his father told him not to interfere though, so he backed off. 

God turned back to his younger son and spoke calmly. “Not right now, Lucifer. You are in no condition for that. You need to sit with what you’ve learned today and recover the rest of your memories. Once all that has happened, I will arrange for you to see Chloe Decker if you still wish to.”

“What I’ve learned? I’ve learned you tricked everyone into believing she hurt me! What have you done to her!” Lucifer demanded to know. 

“I believe I was lenient given the circumstances. Her punishment was isolation. She deserved it after what she did to you,” God said.

“She did nothing to me! You made her your scapegoat! Admit it!” Lucifer yelled.

God said nothing. He knew nothing he said would help. His son knew he didn’t do what he was accusing him off. He just didn’t want to face the truth.

“Please, Dad. Tell me she didn’t hurt me. Please,” Lucifer said in a desperate, broken voice.

God gently tugged his son’s hands from his jacket and pulled him into his arms. “I’m sorry, child, but I can’t. I’m very sorry.”

Lucifer couldn’t take it anymore. Everything hit him all at once and he broke down in his father’s arms.


	25. Chapter 25

Lucifer spent the next couple of days back in bed. The flashes had finally mostly stopped, not that that made him feel all that much better. Now, all he could think about was Chloe and what she did to him. He didn’t want to believe she did it. He wanted to believe that his father had lied and manipulated his friends into believing that, but he knew deep down that that wasn’t true, and the more he thought about it, the more his original theory was refuted. He remembered the way Chloe acted when she returned from her vacation. He remembered her recoiling from him when he touched her. She claimed to be over it not long later. He should’ve known better than to believe that, but he wanted her to accept him. He wanted to believe she had.

Knowing Chloe had done this hurt badly. It hurt even worse than being sent to Hell did. At least with Hell, he’d known he’d done wrong. Well, not at the time, but he realized it later, and while he did not think his punishment was just, he could admit that he deserved one. He hadn’t done anything to Chloe. All he’d ever done was try to keep her safe. He could understand her not wanting anything to do with him after what she learned, but how could she try to hurt him?

Lucifer still didn’t remember what Chloe did to him. He didn’t remember the priest that was supposedly involved either. He did remember his wing being hurt. Had she been responsible for that? No, she couldn’t have been. She had tried to help him afterwards. Why had she though? If she’d gone out of her way to hurt him, why did she take him to her own with her child? Why would she do that if she was so afraid. He supposed it might have to do with him being a child. Maybe she just couldn’t justify hurting a child. 

Lucifer had so many questioning. He needed them answers, but he was also afraid of the answers, and he was afraid of asking the detective herself those questions. He wasn’t sure he could hear her admit what she did to him. At the same time, he wasn’t sure he could completely believe it all unless he did. 

Lucifer soon heard voices coming from the other room. He was tempted to ignore them. There wasn’t really anyone out there he wanted to see, but he didn’t really see the point of sitting in this room anymore either. 

Lucifer got up and got dressed before making his way out to the living room. Amenadiel was sitting there with who Lucifer now knew to be his son. It still baffled him that Amenadiel had a child. He never thought it was possible for one of them to create a child.

Amenadiel noticed his brother and stood up. “Hey, Luci. Are you doing okay?”

“Oh, yes, wonderfully,” Lucifer said sarcastically. His brother could ask stupid questions sometimes.

“Sorry. I know you’re going through a lot. Can I do anything to help?” Amenadiel asked.

“No, I know exactly what to do, thank you,” Lucifer said before walking towards his father’s office. He walked inside and headed straight for the mini bar. He grabbed a bottle of Scotch and a glass before walking back out.

“Luci, do you really think that’s a good idea?” Amenadiel asked when he saw what was in his brother’s hand. 

“I’ve just found out that I turned myself into a child for over a century after the person I trusted more than anyone else betrayed me. I think the least I’m owed is a bottle of Dad’s Scotch,” Lucifer said before pouring himself a glass and taking a big gulp of his drink.

Amenadiel turned and glanced at his son before turning back to his brother. “Luci, this is Charlie.”

“Yes, I remember. Hello,” Lucifer said.

“Hi, Sammy,” Charlie said without thinking. His father had told him to call his uncle ‘Lucifer’, but he’d forgotten. He was just so used to calling him by the nickname he’d used since he could remember.

“Charlie,” Amenadiel admonished slightly. He knew his son hadn’t meant to, but he knew Lucifer wasn’t going to respond well to any form of the name Samael. The nickname was going to particularly irritate him.

Surprisingly, Lucifer wasn’t angry. If anything, he was just mildly annoyed. He supposed he wasn’t angry because he knew Charlie hadn’t known him as he was now. He only knew Samael. “The fact that I ever allowed you to call me that is probably one of the most baffling memories I’ve received. It’s up there with Michael not being a dick.”

Charlie smiled. It seemed his uncle wasn’t upset with him after all. “Well, I was a kid when I started saying it. You couldn’t really get mad at a little kid. Then I was bigger than you and you couldn’t stop me.”

“Indeed. Well, it seems the tables have turned on that issue again,” Lucifer said.

“Yeah, I guess. It’s kind of strange seeing you like this. I’d only ever known you as the kid you looked like about a week ago. I guess it’s probably more strange for you though. I can’t imagine waking up to find that you’ve missed so much time,” Charlie said.

“Yes,” Lucifer whispered before finishing up his drink. He then poured himself another one. “I assume you’re on babysitting duty, Amenadiel. Does Dad want to make sure I won’t take off in his absence? Where would I even go?”

“He’s not holding you prisoner, Lucifer. He just doesn’t think you should be completely alone right now. He wants to make sure you’re okay,” Amenadiel said.

Lucifer snorted at the very idea that he was anything even close to okay. He swallowed his second drink and poured another.

Amenadiel turned to his son. “Charlie, go see your mother for a while.”

Charlie nodded and headed out of the room.

“I’m really sorry, Luci. I know all of this is upsetting.” Amenadiel said.

“Everyone I know is dead. Except for Maze. Where is she? Is she still on Earth?” Lucifer asked.

“No. After Linda died, she asked me to take her to Hell. She didn’t have much left to stay on Earth for. Well, there was still Trixie at the time, but Trixie understood her need to leave. She urged her to go. Charlie and I go to see her sometimes,” Amenadiel said. Charlie was close with Maze. He loved visiting her. Amenadiel didn’t like the idea of his son visiting Hell, which was why he always went with him. He refused to allow his son to go to Hell by himself.

Lucifer nodded. “Well, it’s good that she’s back in Hell. Earth never felt like home for her. I hope she’s happy now.”

“She is. Father actually made it possible for her to run things. He changed the rules to allow it. It’s going well under her command,” Amenadiel said.

“Yes, I can see how it would. She was my right hand for a reason. I would trust her above anyone else down there,” Lucifer said. He then walked over to the couch and sat down. 

“Do you remember everything?” Amenadiel asked.

“Most of it. I don’t remember the incident that started everything,” Lucifer said.

“Linda says you might never remember it. She says it might be too painful,” Amenadiel said.

“So, you also believe what everyone is saying about the detective betraying me,” Lucifer said. Most of him also believed it, but he was looking for anything to prove that it wasn’t true. It didn’t seem he was going to find it though.

“She did, Lucifer, and you know that somewhere. She admitted to me what she did. She had to, given the circumstances. You were the equivalent of a nine-year-old, and she thought it was because of the ritual,” Amenadiel told him.

“Why?” Lucifer asked in a desperate tone.

Amenadiel figured out what his brother was asking almost right away. “She said she was scared. She bought into the stories that the priest told her about you. But fear isn’t an excuse, Lucifer. She didn’t run away from you. She tried to hurt you. It was premeditated. She planned this to the letter with that priest!”

Lucifer shuddered thinking about what she’d done to him. He’d been planning to pursue a relationship with the detective, and she led him to believe she wanted the same. What she really wanted was to erase him from her life permanently. “I remember my wing being hurt. She wasn’t responsible for that, right? She tried to help me with it. I remember her dressing it.”

“Responsible? I guess that’s a matter of opinion. My opinion is that she was responsible. She played a large part in everything that happened that night. But she wasn’t the one that physically caused the wound. William Kinley did that. From what I understand, she did stop him from doing worse damage, but given her involvement, I won’t thank her for it,” Amenadiel said.

Lucifer finished his drink and stood up. “I’m going for a walk. I don’t care what Dad says. I want to be alone, so you will leave me be.”

Amenadiel didn’t like it, but he could understand his brother’s need to be alone to try to process everything. “Alright.”

Lucifer said nothing else as he walked out the door.


	26. Chapter 26

Lucifer walked through the Silver City and took in his surroundings. It had been a long time since he’d really had a look at it. Well, sort of. He’d been there for a century, but his entire mind wasn’t exactly present during that time. He’d also walked through a couple of days ago, but he had other intentions besides looking around at his former home. Much had changed since he’d been kicked out. It was to be expected though. The world had changed as time had. It made sense that his father would change the Silver City to reflect that. 

It was hard to believe, but being back in the Silver City wasn’t actually so bad. He could actually think of things he missed, despite his claims that he hated Heaven and didn’t want to go back. He supposed it was easier to want to hate a place he wasn’t allowed to enter. Linda would probably tell him that he convinced himself of that to protect himself from the pain of being kicked out. Perhaps, she would be right. He still wished for things go back to the way they were though. He would happily still be banned from Heaven if he could be back on Earth with those he cared about, with the detective before… before things went wrong.

Soon, Lucifer noticed Michael walking towards him. He immediately sighed in displeasure. He had no desire to speak to his older brother. 

“Hey, Samael. Are you okay?” Michael asked in a careful voice.

“My name is Lucifer, and if you’re planning on trying to detain me again…”

“I’m not. I only did that to help you. You were trying to leave the Silver City, and it wasn’t going to end well if you did,” Michael said.

Lucifer laughed. “You wanted to help me? You have never wished to help me, Michael.” Well, he supposed Michael did recently. He did have many recent memories of Michael being kind to him. Those were still hard to comprehend. Lucifer still had trouble believing they were real, given most of his experience with Michael. In any event, he wasn’t entirely convinced Michael’s kindness was selfless. For all Lucifer knew, Michael had been forced to treat him nicely. 

Michael winced. He knew he deserved that comment. He had been terrible to his brother for most of their lives. He was going to have to make that up to his brother. “Samael, I know I haven’t…”

“Stop calling me that!” Lucifer yelled. He hated the name even more now than he had before he lost a century of his life. In his mind, when people called him that now, they were calling for the little boy he’d been turned into. That was who they wanted, not him. The only one who he would tolerate the name from was Amenadiel’s son, and that was because he didn’t know any better.

“Okay, I’m sorry. I will do my best to call you Lucifer, but it may be hard. I’ve never called you anything else,” Michael said. He knew he had to respect his brother’s wishes to be called by the name he’d chosen. His father had even told him that. It was just difficult to remember to do so. 

Lucifer didn’t respond. He grudgingly had to admit that was true. Michael had never addressed him as anything other than his former name. He hadn’t even spoken to Lucifer since he changed it, something Lucifer was grateful for at the time. 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t a good brother to you. I treated you, and many others, badly long before you fell. I regret a lot,” Michael said. He hadn’t really been kind to many of his younger siblings. He was just an angry kid, and he had no tolerance for his siblings. Samael though, he disliked the most, partially because he was so favored, and partially because he was just so much different from the others.

“Yeah? Like dropping me to the bloody ground in mid-flight?” Lucifer asked irritably.

Michael winced at that memory. It was by far the worst he’d ever done to a sibling. That was the only time he’d really gotten physical. He usually just used words in the past. He’d been in an awful mood and didn’t like that he had to take his brother for flying lessons that day. He’d done what he did in a moment of rage. He regretted it seconds later. He’d even dove after Samael, but Amenadiel caught him first. “I meant it when Mom and Dad made me apologize for that. I never should’ve done that. If it makes you feel any better at all, Dad took his belt to me for it, and I deserved it.”

“Yes, certainly.”

“I was always an ass to you, but I went too far that day. I knew it even before Amenadiel dragged me in front of Mom and Dad. I’m sorry for being so cruel to you for so long. I’m hoping you’ll give me a chance to make things right. I want to try to fix things between us. I want us to have a good relationship,” Michael said.

Lucifer scoffed in response. “If you want to have a relationship with any part of me, it is the boy I apparently reverted myself back to, and even that is hard to believe. You never gave me the time of day until that happened. It seems likely that you were nice to me then because Father forced you. Because apparently even he’s not bastard enough to allow a child to be vilified.

“If that were the case, I wouldn’t have to be nice to you now, would I? Yes, Dad insisted that everyone treat you right. That’s not why I did though. At first, it was because I was no longer a kid myself and couldn’t justify going after an innocent child. I’d made the decision that I would be kind to you because of that. Then I saw you. I remembered the way I treated you and realized how wrong it was. I decided I wanted a better relationship with you. I wanted to be someone you felt you could count on,” Michael explained.

Lucifer snorted at the idea that there was anyone he could count on. “I can’t count on anyone, Michael. I’ve recently received all the proof I need of that.”

“That’s not true, Sam… Lucifer. Don’t let that human…”

“Don’t talk about her!” Lucifer said sharply. He didn’t want to hear about her at all at the moment, and certainly not from the brother that had treated him so terribly most of his life. 

“I’m just saying that not everyone is going to hurt you like that. And I know that we’ve hurt you too. We’re sorry for that. Dad is really sorry for it,” Michael said.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Lucifer said sarcastically.

“He is. You should talk to him. He’ll tell you how sorry he is himself. You can count on us, little brother. We won’t fail you again. Plus, the humans that were true to you are here as well,” Michael said.

“What the bloody hell are you getting at?” Lucifer asked.

“I’m asking you to stay. Let us all prove to you that we’ve changed. Let us make amends. Come home for good,” Michael said.

Lucifer blinked almost stupidly. It never occurred to him to stay in Heaven, nor did he think he’d be accepted as he was. In the beginning, he did think he might be forced to stay, despite his father’s claims otherwise, but that was back when he thought his new memories were fabrications. He figure his father was trying to change who he was by implanting false memories. Now that that wasn’t the case, surely no one would want him to stay, not when he was no longer the boy they were accustomed to. “You don’t want me here. You want who I was.”

“No. We want you, all parts of you. I know it’s hard for you to believe, but we love you, Lucifer,” Michael said.

Lucifer stared at his brother for a minute before walking away. He couldn’t hear so much as another word. He needed to think. Right now, things made no sense to him.


	27. Chapter 27

After hours of walking around the Silver City, Lucifer returned to his father’s quarters. He didn’t really want to, but he didn’t have anywhere else to go. Besides, he was sure the old man would come searching if he didn’t go back soon.

When Lucifer got back, his father was waiting on the couch. “Hello, son. Are you doing alright?”

Lucifer didn’t answer. He made a beeline for the table, where his father had a bottle of scotch sitting. He immediately poured himself a glass.

“Your brother said you were upset when you left. I just want to know that you’re alright,” God said.

“Do you expect me to stay here?” Lucifer asked. Michael’s words had been in his head for hours. He truly wanted Lucifer to stay, which Lucifer could not understand. His brother had also made it sound like their father wanted the same. He didn’t know where to put any of that. 

God sighed and motioned to the couch next to him. “Sit down, son. Please.”

Reluctantly, Lucifer did as he asked, making sure to keep a large gap of space between his father and himself.

“I don’t expect anything, but I would be happy if you stayed, Lucifer. This is your home,” God told him.

“Since when?” Lucifer asked bitterly before taking a sip of his drink. “I don’t recall this being my home for millennia. Not counting the last century, of course.”

God sighed. He deserved his son’s comments. He’d more than deserved the anger Lucifer felt for him. He could only hope it wasn’t too late to make things right and eventually gain forgiveness. “I know, son. I didn’t treat you right.”

Lucifer snorted. “That’s quite the understatement, isn’t it, Father? You sent me to Hell, like a monster.”

“I never called you a monster, nor did I ever see you that way. But it is my fault you saw yourself that way. I was angry, and in that anger, I acted rashly. I am sorry, Lucifer,” God said.

Lucifer didn’t know how to react. It was what he’d always wanted to hear, but what he thought he never would. And hearing it now only made him more confused. It was yet another thing that he couldn’t reconcile. Everything was so different than it had been. The person that he’d trusted the most had apparently turned her back on him, and those he was sure hated him were going out of their way to gain his trust. It didn’t make sense, yet it did at the same time. He did have his memories from the last century, and they supported the changes he’d seen with his family. However, those memories were confusing all on their own.

God could see the distress displayed on his son’s face. He wanted to comfort him, but he knew his wouldn’t welcome that right now. “Talk to me, son. What are you thinking about?”

“Why?” Lucifer asked after a few moments.

“Why what?” he asked.

“Why are you sorry now? Why do you suddenly care now? Why does everyone? Because I turned into a child? Because you got the son back that you really wanted?” Lucifer asked bitterly.

“No. I have always cared. I just let my anger get the best of me. I have always loved you, Lucifer,” God said.

Lucifer stood up angrily. “You abandoned me! You banished me from my home! Don’t say you love me!”

“I do. I don’t blame you for not believing me, but I do love you. I am so sorry I allowed things to go too far. Your actions warranted punishment, but not the one you were given,” God said. He wouldn’t deny that he’d gone way too far, but he also wouldn’t say he was wrong to be angry. His son had started a rebellion. That wasn’t acceptable, but God should’ve handled it much better.

Lucifer didn’t argue that point. It took him a long time to admit, but he had come to realize he made mistakes. He wasn’t wrong to want what he did, but he was wrong to go so far to get it. “I didn’t deserve to go to Hell!”

“No, you didn’t. I went to far. I hurt you badly. I’m sorry,” he said again.

“Yes, and how coincidental it is that you realized that you were sorry and that you wanted me back after I reverted in age. You wanted him. You wanted the boy who would do anything you asked,” Lucifer said bitterly. His father didn’t love him. He loved the boy he once was.

“No, son. I can’t deny that I saw an opportunity when you deaged yourself, but it isn’t what you’re thinking. I grieved for you, Lucifer. I grieved the fact that you were so beaten down that you felt you couldn’t continue as you were. I was very angry as well. Many can tell you that much. There was no mercy given to those who hurt you,” God told him.

Lucifer flinched a bit at the mention of the detective and her actions. His father didn’t say her name, but he was clearly referring to her. 

“As I said though, I did see an opportunity when you changed. It wasn’t to change you though. I wouldn’t change you for anything. The only thing I wanted to change with you is the pain you went through. It was me I saw a chance to change. I wanted to change how I was your father,” God explained. 

“What?” Lucifer asked in disbelief. It was unfathomable to him that his father would want to change anything about himself. That meant admitting he wasn’t perfect as the world saw him.

“I’m not oblivious to my mistakes, Lucifer. I made mistakes long before you rebelled. I wasn’t there enough for you or your siblings. I made my work a bigger priority than my children. I pitted you and your siblings against each other. I didn’t mean to, but it was the result of playing favorites. When you returned to childhood, I saw it as an opportunity to do better. I believe I did,” God said. He’d done everything he could not to repeat his past mistakes. He was certain he made some new ones, because despite what the world believed, he was not perfect, but he worked hard not to make the same ones.

Lucifer couldn’t deny that his father was different the last century. He had to concede that his father wasn’t terrible the first time around, not until the rebellion anyway, but he was absent quite a bit. He didn’t make enough time for them. The last century, Lucifer remembered it being different. His father spent quite a bit of time with him. He talked to him and played with him. He never allowed himself to get too busy. “Yes, well, one century doesn’t make up for you abandoning me for eons.”

“No, of course it doesn’t. I just wanted you to know that I wasn’t trying to change you, and I wanted you to know that I’ve tried to do better,” he said.

Lucifer scoffed in response. “Come on, Dad. Don’t deny you hoped I’d never come back. You would’ve been content if I’d stayed as I was.”

“Yes, to an extent, but, again, it’s not what you think. I knew the pain you’d be in should you return as you are now. I didn’t want you to suffer anymore. However, that does not mean that I’m not happy to have you back now. I love you, son,” he said.

“You must forgive me for having a hard time believing that. You had no desire for reconciliation until I turned back into a child,” Lucifer said.

“You’re wrong. I can’t deny that seeing you as a child helped me realize the depth of how badly I screwed up, but I’d begun to regret my actions before that. I just didn’t know how to make it right. I did try though. That’s why I sent Chloe Decker to you. That is an error I will always regret. You should’ve never crossed paths with her,” God said. Any good Chloe Decker did his son was outweighed by the damage she’d done.

Lucifer glared at his father. “You used her to manipulate me!”

“No, son. It was not meant to be a manipulative. It was meant to help heal you. I put someone in your path that was immune to you, someone you’d have to work to truly impress. Just so you know, I didn’t create your feelings for her, nor hers for you. I know that’s what you thought. It’s not true,” God assured him.

“Oh, I know that now. If you had, she could never have…” He trailed off, unable to finish the thought. It was was almost funny how tormented he’d been over the belief that his father created Chloe’s feelings for him. Now, he almost wished he had because that would’ve meant she couldn’t have betrayed him. Well, not unless that was what his father intended, and he knew it wasn’t. No matter what else, he no longer believed his father played a part in what happened to him, if only because of the way he’d punished Chloe for what she did, which Lucifer still wasn’t sure how he felt about it.

“I’m sorry, son. I’m sorry for everything. I know you won’t forgive me tonight, and you may never look at me the way you used to, but I hope in time that we can build a new relationship,” God said.

“And if I can’t?” Lucifer asked. He was waiting for an ultimatum. He was waiting for some sort of demand that his father be forgiven. It didn’t come.

“Then that is my punishment, and I’d deserve it. I still hope you’ll give me a chance though. I don’t deserve it, but I ask for it anyway. Will you at least stay for a little while? Give me a chance to prove to you I’ve changed,” God asked.

Lucifer shrugged after a few moments. “I’ve got nowhere else to go.”

“You can make a new life for yourself if you choose to, but I do think you can be happy here if you try. I hope to see that happen,” God said.

Lucifer only nodded before heading out of the room. He was done for the night. He wanted to rest and think.


	28. Chapter 28

Lucifer sat with Linda in Amenadiel’s quarters. Several months had passed since he’d woken up in Heaven. Lucifer had decided to stay, at least for now. It was like he’d told his father. He really had nowhere else to go. Everyone he knew was dead. True, he could start over on Earth, but he would only lose anyone else he got close to. He supposed returning to Hell was an option, but that wasn’t his home. He was never really happy there. Besides, it belonged to Maze now. Though, he had gone to see her the last time Amenadiel went down with Charlie. It had gone well. She seemed glad to see him. She’d offered him the thrown back, but he had no desire for it.

He’d learned when he went to Hell that Daniel was down there as well. Unfortunately, it didn’t surprise him. He hadn’t seen him around Heaven, plus Daniel had made many mistakes that would’ve weighed on him too terribly for him to go anywhere else.

Lucifer had resumed sessions with Linda not long after the conversation with his father. Well, in a sense. They were less like therapy sessions and more like two friends talking. Linda no longer wrote down anything he said and used shrink speak a lot less. But she still listened to him and offered advice.

“How are things going with your father and your siblings?” Linda asked.

“Not terribly. I’ve gotten reacquainted with many of my siblings. I was close with my brothers, Manuel and Raziel, and we’ve gotten closer again,” Lucifer said. Of course, a fourth member of his group wasn’t there anymore. He recalled Gabriel leaving when he was still a child again after the bastard came after him. He assumed his father forced him to. His brother hadn’t returned, and Lucifer was fine with that. He’d done nothing to earn Gabriel’s ire. He had no interest in seeing him. “I’ve made up with most of the others as well.”

“Even Michael?” Linda asked.

“Sort of. It’s not terrible. It’s not like it used to be,” Lucifer said. Honestly, he was still wary of Michael. Part of that was because he didn’t really know Michael. Yes, they lived together for centuries, but Michael had made his disinterest in Lucifer clear then, and in turn, Lucifer never cared to spend time with his older brother. He did get to know him some the second time around as a boy, but those memories were still hard to comprehend after four months. He supposed they would be for a long time.

“That’s good. It makes sense that things would be different. It was a long time ago. You’ve both changed. How about your father?” Linda asked.

Lucifer sighed. “I don’t know. That’s more complicated. I don’t want to punch him every time I see him anymore, but still the majority of the time.”

Linda chuckled. “Well, it’s a slow process.”

“I don’t trust him. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. A part of me is sure that one wrong move will see me cast out again,” Lucifer said. He was also still very angry and hurt. If he had anywhere else to go, he probably would’ve. He was glad that he no longer had to stay in his father’s quarters. He’d been given his old rooms back, which surprised him because he didn’t think those even existed anymore, or at least not for him.

“I can understand you not trusting your father. I think he loves you and wants to make things right. I saw him with you when you were a child. It’s clear to me he’d do anything for you, but he’s given you a lot of reasons to distrust him. If you ever trust him again, it’ll take work on his part. He knows that,” Linda said.

Lucifer only grunted in response.

Linda took a deep breath as she prepared to bring up a subject she knew would be sore for Lucifer. He’d refused to talk about it almost every time she tried to address it, but he couldn’t hide from it for much longer. “Lucifer, have you thought at all about Chloe lately.”

Lucifer’s eyes darkened slightly. “I’ve asked you not to bring her up. I don’t want to talk about it.” 

“I know, but you can’t avoid the subject forever. You have to deal with what she did to you and how you feel about it,” Linda said.

Lucifer glared at her. “How I feel about it? She betrayed me. She lied to me and tried to have me sent back to Hell! She’s the reason I lost a century of my life! At least that’s what everyone tells me!”

“Do you still doubt it?” Linda asked. The way he said that made it seem like he still had his doubts, or at least maybe wanted to have doubts.

“No. At least most of the time I don’t. I don’t remember it. To this day, I don’t remember her even showing up to the penthouse. I know you didn’t lie to me, but if I can’t remember, and I can’t hear from her that it happened…”

“A part of you can still hope that it didn’t,” Linda finished for him.

Lucifer nodded. “It’s ridiculous, and I know that most of the time, but sometimes it seems plausible that everyone’s wrong.”

“Then maybe you need to hear Chloe say it. Have you asked your father to see her?” Linda asked.

“Once, right after you all told me. He wouldn’t allow me to. He said I wasn’t ready. I haven’t asked him since. He would probably let me now, but I don’t know that I want that. I don’t even like thinking about her and what she did. I loathe this conversation completely. I don’t think I can talk to her,” Lucifer said. He couldn’t deny that a part of him did still want to see her, but that was because a small part of him was still clinging to the possibility that it didn’t really happen. Most of him knew better, and that part of him didn’t want to hear the details of how she betrayed him. That part of him didn’t want to see her face or hear her voice. It would be too painful. He had another reason as well. He had mixed feelings regarding the punishment his father doled out. He tried not to think about it, but at times, it bothered him that the detective was being punished so harshly. He feared that would intensify if he saw her. He didn’t want to care about the fate of someone who’d hurt him so much.

“Lucifer, I can’t imagine what it will feel like to see Chloe and to hear what she has to say. I am very certain that it will hurt a lot, probably worse than you’re even fearing. But I’m not sure you can move on until it happens. I think you need to hear what she has to say. I think you also have a lot you need to say to her. It can be therapeutic to confront someone who’s hurt you,” Linda explained.

Lucifer was skeptical. He found it hard to believe that any part of him would heal after hearing from Chloe what she’d done to him. He could only see more pain headed his way, which he wanted to avoid.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. I think you need to see her, Lucifer. I don’t think you can begin to get passed the pain until you’ve seen her. Just consider it, okay? You don’t have to do it today. I don’t even think you should. I think you should consider it and then take the time you need to decide what you’ll say if you do decide to see her,” Linda told him.

“Very well. I’ll consider it. I think I’ve had enough for today, Linda. I’m going to go back to my quarters,” Lucifer said before standing up. 

“Of course. You know you can come back whenever you need to talk,” Linda said.

Lucifer nodded before heading for the door.


	29. Chapter 29

Lucifer knocked on his father’s office door. After thinking it over for over a week, he decided that he would see Chloe again. He didn’t want to, but he knew he would not be able to move on until he did. He needed to hear the truth from her. 

“Come in.”

Lucifer walked inside and closed the door. He found his father seated behind his desk.

“Hello, son. Is everything alright?” God asked. He was slightly concerned because Lucifer didn’t usually seek him out. Things were a little better between them, but they were far from healed. Lucifer still didn’t want much to do with him. If he was here, there was a reason. 

“I want to see her,” Lucifer said, knowing his father would figure out who he was talking about. 

God sighed. He knew it was coming. His son wasn’t going to be able to go forever without seeing Chloe Decker at least one more time. As much as God hoped it wouldn’t happen, he knew better. “Come sit for a minute.”

“If you’re going to say no, just say it,” Lucifer snapped. Honestly, a part of him hoped his father did say no because he really didn’t want to do this. He needed to, but he didn’t want to. The other part of him was beyond irritated because his father told him he would be allowed to see the detective when he was ready.

“I’m not going to say no, Lucifer. I told you I would let you see her. I won’t go back on my word. I would just like to talk with you for a few moments. Please, son,” God said. 

Lucifer walked over and sat down.

“I just want to be sure you’re ready for this. This isn’t going to be easy for you,” God warned. His son had loved this woman and she’d utterly betrayed him. Seeing her was going to be extremely painful for him. He needed to realize that.

“Yes, I know that, Dad. I have to do it,” he said.

God nodded. “Very well. You will need to call for me when you’re done. There are no doors where she is and you won’t be able to fly out.

“Fine,” Lucifer said.

“One more thing. I want to make sure all blame stays where it belongs. I know what Chloe Decker meant to you. I don’t want you to allow that to make you feel guilty. You are the victim. Please remember that,” God said. He didn’t think Decker would purposely manipulate him, but knowing his son, he would look for some reason that this was his doing.

Lucifer scowled. It was ironic that he’d say that now. His father had no trouble in the past with him being held accountable for what others had done. 

“I know. I know I failed in the past in this regard. I’m sorry. I’ve done my utmost to ensure you are no longer blamed for the faults of others. If you ever return to Earth, you will find that most humans no longer view you the way they did. My goal now is to ensure you don’t view yourself that way,” God said.

Lucifer was very surprised to hear his father’s words, that he’d changed the way humans viewed him. He never thought that would happen. In fact, he spent much of the past believing his father was responsible for the way humans saw him.

“Just please remember what I’ve said, son. Are you ready?” God asked.

Lucifer took a deep breath and stood up before nodded. He wasn’t sure he was ready, but he was certain it wasn’t going to get any better. 

God waved his hand and his son disappeared.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

The next thing Lucifer knew, he was standing in an unfamiliar room. It wasn’t what he expected. He figured he’d find Chloe in some sort of cell, but she wasn’t. It looked like a traditional living room. 

It didn’t take long for Lucifer to locate the detective. He found her seated on the couch. She looked no different than she had the last time he saw her. It wasn’t surprising. Souls looked how they wanted after they passed, even in Hell. In Hell, they looked how they did during their worst deeds.

It didn’t take Chloe long to see Lucifer. When she did, she was shocked, though happy. She never thought she’d see him again. God had told her he didn’t think Lucifer would likely even come back, but he was. “She immediately began to go to him. “Lucifer.”

Lucifer took a few steps back as she approached him. She would not touch him. He could barely stand being in the room with her. He would not allow her to touch him.

Chloe stopped and looked down. She should’ve realized he wouldn’t want her to touch him. If he was there with her, it was almost certain he knew what she did. Of course, he wouldn’t let her too close. “I’m sorry. I should’ve known better. How long have you been back?"”

“You mean as I am now? Four months,” Lucifer stated passively. 

“And how long were you gone?” Chloe asked. She knew it was a while, but time stopped meaning much after she died. She wasn’t sure how long it had been.

“A Century. I was in the form of a nine-year-old for almost a century,” he said.

“It must have been difficult to come back from that. I can’t imagine what you must have…”

“I didn’t come here for small talk!” Lucifer snapped.

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to know how it was for you,” Chloe said.

Lucifer ignored her comment. “I came here because I need you to say what you did. See, I don’t remember it. I can recall everything in the last century, except how I got the way I was. I don’t even remember you showing up at my penthouse. And as it turns out, I can’t truly accept what you did until you say it!”

Chloe nodded. “Do you wanna sit down.”

“No, I do not. I want you to answer me,” Lucifer said shortly.

Chloe took a deep breath. She didn’t want to do this. Right now, Lucifer was angry. When she was done, there was a good chance he would hate her. She didn’t want to see that, but this was what she got for what she did. Lucifer deserved the truth. He clearly couldn’t move on without it. “I did it Lucifer. I betrayed you. I conspired to send you back to Hell.”

Lucifer thought the pain he felt before was terrible. It had hurt so badly when he realized what Chloe had done, but hearing her actually say that she had hurt so much worse. Nothing had ever hurt so bad. He was able to keep some pain at bay before because he held a small amount of hope that it might not have happened. Now he couldn’t.

Chloe could see his pain, and it made her guilt so much worse. She wanted to take his pain away, but she couldn’t. In fact, she was going to make it worse. He needed to know everything. “I met Father William Kinley in Rome. He convinced me that you belonged back in Hell. He had me put a sedative in your wine. Then he performed an exorcism. It didn’t work. It caused you pain, but it couldn’t banish you. At some point during all of this, you must have realized what I’d done. You couldn’t deal with it, so you turned yourself into a child. That was your father’s belief anyway.”

“Why?” Lucifer asked, desperation and pain laced in his voice.

“Because I was afraid. I’m sorry,” Chloe cried.

Lucifer felt different emotions. Obviously it hurt him to hear that she feared him, just as he worried she would, but he was also angry. He was angry with her for saying she was afraid of him. “You were afraid. Well, do me a favor, Detective. Pinpoint for me the exact time that I made you fear me. Tell me what it is that I did to you that made you so afraid that you tried to send me to Hell!”

“It’s not that simple. It wasn’t then anyway. “I…I’d heard all the stories and I’d seen your face. I didn’t want to believe that was who you were, but Father Kinley was very persuasive. He had evidence…”

“I don’t care! He was just another bloody priest who thought he knew all because he’d read the bible! You knew me! You worked with me for years! We were friends. No, we were more! You told me I wasn’t the Devil in your eyes!” Lucifer yelled.

“I didn’t know…”

“But I knew better,” Lucifer interrupted. “I was sure you’d see my face and be terrified. I was sure you’d try to get as far away from me as you could. But you didn’t. You came back. You told me you accepted me. You lied to me!” 

Chloe heard the absolute fury in his last sentence. Lucifer hated liars. There wasn’t much worse in his eyes. She really should’ve known better when Kinley accused Lucifer of being the greatest liar. Lucifer didn’t lie. She knew that, but she let Kinley convince her otherwise. “Yes.”

“I…I loved you! You knew that. That’s why you pretended to be interested in being with me! You say you were afraid of me, but you knew I was in love with you! How could you possibly think I’d hurt you?” Lucifer asked. 

“I don’t know what I knew, Lucifer. I knew you wanted me to think you were interested in me, but I didn’t know if it was real or…”

“I don’t lie!” Lucifer bellowed. 

“I was concerned and scared. I’m sorry,” Chloe said. 

Lucifer laughed bitterly. “Yes, of course you are. You failed. You were confronted with little Samael, the boy who had not yet become the Devil. Then you had my father who promised his wrath. Yes, you were sorry then.”

Chloe cringed. God had accused her of the same thing, and the sad fact was she couldn’t say they were wrong. In fact, after spending a very long time thinking about it, she came to the conclusion that they were right. If Lucifer had been sent to Hell, there would’ve been residual guilt, but she would’ve convinced herself that she’d been right. “Yes.”  
Lucifer stared at her in devastation for several moments. “You never knew me at all, did you? Once you realized I was telling the truth about who I was, it was like I became someone else entirely. I wish I had never laid eyes on you!”

Chloe flinched. She couldn’t help it. Those words hurt so badly. They were worse than the punishment God had inflicted on her, and even the guilt she felt. Lucifer’s words cut so badly. 

“You hurt me more than anyone ever has. I didn’t hurt this badly when I was cast into Hell! I trusted you completely!”

“I’m sorry. At least this has given you your family back though. They’re there for you now, right?” Chloe asked.

Lucifer looked at her as though she’d said the stupidest thing in the world. “You think you can make what you did a good thing?! You think saying something like that will make it right, maybe ease your guilt?!”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I just meant that while you lost a lot, you got something back,” Chloe said.

“Father, I’m done,” Lucifer said as he looked up at the ceiling. He could not listen to another word. He’d done what he came to do. He didn’t want to be in the same room with Chloe for another second.

“No, Lucifer, don’t…”

Lucifer didn’t hear anything else. The next thing he knew, he was in his father’s quarters. The man was standing in front of him.

“Are you alright, son?” God asked.

“I’m leaving,” Lucifer said. He didn’t want to break down in front of his father. He wanted to get to the safety of his own rooms before he lost it.

God, however, had other plans. As his son went to pass him, he took him firmly by the arms. “Whoa. Not yet, son. You should not be alone right now.”

“Let go!” Lucifer yelled as he tried and failed to push his father away. 

“Lucifer, stop fighting me. I’m not letting you leave right now,” God said firmly. He respected his son’s free will, but right now, Lucifer was too upset to be left alone.

Lucifer continued to struggle, but it got him nowhere. Soon, he began to lose control of his emotions. “I didn’t do anything to her! I didn’t deserve it!”

God nodded. “That’s right, son.”

“It was her fault! She betrayed me! She lied to me! It’s her fault! And it’s your fault!”

“Yes,” God agreed.

“It’s your fault. I didn’t deserve it!” Lucifer yelled and cried at the same time.

God knew his son didn’t just mean what Chloe Decker did to him. “No, you didn’t.”

Lucifer started crying hard at that point and threw himself into his father’s arms. “I didn’t deserve it, Dad.”

God ran a hand through his son’s hair as he held him. “I know, child. I am so sorry. It’s going to be alright.”


	30. Chapter 30

Lucifer woke up several hours later in his father’s quarters. He recalled his father helping him into bed after his emotional breakdown. Lucifer was irritated with himself for losing it like that, especially in the presence of his father. He hated that he’d shown weakness in front of the man. Worse, he hated that he’d allowed himself to find comfort in his father’s arms for the second time. He knew better than that.

Then, of course, there was still the raw pain he felt after his conversation with the detective. It hurt so badly. She’d confirmed everything everyone had told him. She’d turned on him after swearing that she would never consider him the Devil. It wasn’t even just that she tried to hurt him. That hurt deeply, but it was made much worse by the fact that she said she could accept him, and had ever made him think she wanted to be with him. She’d given him hope before she put the knife through his heart.

Lucifer attempted to shove those thoughts away and slowly got up. He couldn’t stay there anymore. He wouldn’t. He wanted to get back to his own quarters where he could properly drown his sorrows.

Lucifer made his way out of the room. He found his father as he made his way into the living room. The man was seated on the couch.

“Lucifer, I’m glad to see you’re awake. How are you doing?” God asked.

“Am I allowed to leave now?” Lucifer asked in a short and bitter tone.

“Son, I hope you know I didn’t want to circumvent your free will, but I didn’t think you were in the right frame of mine. Will you sit and talk with me for a bit? I want to be sure you’re alright. Then you can do as you please,” God promised.

Lucifer silently sat in a chair across from where his father was sitting.

“I know today was very upsetting for you. Would you like to tell me about it. It could help,” God said.

Lucifer snorted in response. “Me telling you something to use against me later will be no help to me.”

“Lucifer, I know I have given you many reasons to think the worst of me, but one thing you know about me is that I have never used your pain against you. I don’t like seeing you in pain,” God said.

“If I’m in pain, it’s your fault! You let humans think the worst of me! You’re the reason she was so afraid of me!” Lucifer snapped.

“To a point, you’re right. I never told a single human to think of you the way they did, but I didn’t stop it either. I thought it was important to stay out of human affairs, even when they did things I hated. It’s a mistake I regret. That being said, Chloe Decker had known you for years. She knew how many times you’d risked your life to save hers. She knew how protective you were of her. She should’ve known better,” God said. He knew he had a great level of responsibility, but at the same time, he refused to take on the responsibility that belonged to the Decker woman. She made her own choice. There were many things she could’ve done differently. If she truly couldn’t accept his son, she could’ve walked out of his life. She didn’t have to conspire to hurt him. 

Lucifer didn’t respond. He couldn’t deny the truth in his father’s words. He blamed his father for the way humans thought of him, for the stories that led the detective to initially believe what she did, but Lucifer believed in free will. He believed in choices. It was what led to all of this in the first place. The detective made her choice.

“I’m so sorry, Lucifer. I wish I could undo it all,” God said. Even he couldn’t undo all that had happened. Some things were above even his power. Taking back millennia of damage was one of those things.

“She says she’s sorry too. That she was just scared. At least you don’t try to make any part of it good,” Lucifer said. He couldn’t get that out of his head. The detective said it had led to him being back in the Silver City and having a chance to reconcile with everyone. She said that as though it made what she did less terrible.

“What do you mean, son?” God asked.

“She says that it led to this. To you allowing me to come home and being sorry. Even if that’s true. It doesn’t make it right! She doesn’t get to use it to absolve herself!” Lucifer said angrily.

“No, of course not. She may not have meant it that way though,” God said. He thought very little of Chloe Decker, but he did wonder if she was just trying to make his son feel better. It failed spectacularly, but it seemed more likely.

“I don’t care how she meant it. There’s nothing good about what she did! Me being here doesn’t make what she did any less…” Lucifer trailed off before he could say anything else. He was losing control of his emotions again. He couldn’t allow that again.

“I know, son. She can’t hurt you anymore. You never have to see her again if you don’t want to,” God said.

“Why’d you bring her here anyway? Why not just let her go to Hell? You probably wouldn’t have had to do anything at all,” Lucifer said. He was curious as to why his father would arrange such an unorthodox punishment when the detective probably would’ve just punished herself in Hell without any interference.

“Mostly because of you. Even after what she did, I assumed you wouldn’t want her sent to Hell. I wasn’t going to let her get off without punishment though. I also found a hell loop to be too easy. I wanted her lucid enough to be able to realize what she was being punished for. If you don’t want here this close though, all you have to do is say so. She can still be sent to Hell,” God told him.

“No,” Lucifer said after a minute. His father was right, he didn’t want her in Hell. His father might think his punishment was worse, but Lucifer just couldn’t stand the idea of the detective in Hell. “I don’t think I can ever see her again though.”

“Then you won’t have to. She has no access to the Silver City and never will,” God said. He had told Chloe Decker once that he might lift her punishment at some point, but not if son couldn’t forgive her. This was Lucifer’s home, not hers. His son would never feel uncomfortable in his home again.

Lucifer was quiet for several moments before speaking again. “Dad, why was it so bad? Why was it bad for me to want free will?”

God sighed. “It wasn’t bad, Lucifer. Free will just wasn’t a concept I was comfortable with then.”

“But you let humans have it,” Lucifer argued.

“Humans were my creations. I cared for them, but my interest was more like that of a scientist or an inventor. I know many of you thought that I cared for them more than I did you all, but that’s not true. Giving you free will meant allowing you to make the wrong choices. It meant not being able to protect you. That’s why I was so angry at your rebellion. Some of it was about what you did, but quite a lot of you was about what it meant. I took it out on you when most of it wasn’t even your fault. Lucifer, I can’t tell you enough that I’m sorry,” God said remorsefully.

Lucifer couldn’t help the tears that began to flow at his father’s words. He never considered that reasoning before. He thought his father just wanted to control him. The idea that he wanted to protect him never occurred to him. It didn’t make things at all fixed, but it did affect the way he thought of his father.

God got up and went over to his son. He sat on the arm of the chair and put a comforting arm around his son’s shoulders. “Can you forgive me, son? I promise you, nothing like this will ever happen again.

“How can I believe that? You sent me to Hell. You sent Gabriel away too,” Lucifer said after composing himself a bit. It wasn’t that he really cared that Gabriel was gone, but it proved his father was capable of doing it all again. 

“No, I didn’t. I gave Gabriel a choice. He could apologize to you and promise to treat you with as much respect as everyone else or he could leave. He chose to leave. If he wants to come back, he can. All I expect from him, as well as the rest of you, is to treat everyone else with a certain level of respect,” God said. That wasn’t to say that he expected serenity all the time, but there was a difference between fights and the abuse Gabriel had shown his younger brother.

“I don’t trust you,” Lucifer said after a few more moments of silence.

“I know. Maybe I can earn that back. Will you give me another chance?” God asked.

A part of Lucifer wanted to say no. His father had hurt him so much. He didn’t want to give him a chance to do it again. But the other part of him wanted the love his father said he had for him. He wanted to stop being so hurt and angry at him. He was tired of it, especially now that he’d been hurt even worse. “Okay, I’ll try.”

“Thank you, son,” he said before pulling his son close.

Lucifer rested his head on his father’s shoulder, for the first time consciously letting his guard drop. It felt good. He felt peace just agreeing to let some of his anger go. He felt like maybe things would be okay.


End file.
